Unsaid Things
by satin-skies
Summary: Sequel to Who is your lover? A few years after the band splits, Dougie is starting to put his life back together but is it to late to make things right again?
1. Chapter 1

**Author:  
Rating: T for swearing and some male on male action.  
Sequel to: Who is your lover?  
Point of view: Dougie's. First Person.  
Pairing: Poynter/Jones  
Disclaimer: I do not own McFLY. All events are made up and never happened.  
Summary: A few years after the band split, Dougie is starting to put his life back together but is it to late to make things right again?**

_Buzz…Buzz…Buzz…__Buzz…Buzz…Buzz…_

I groaned and stuck my arm out from the confines of my blankets, reaching blindly around my bedside table in search of my vibrating mobile. I swatted around, knocking empty bottles and nick knacks off in my search until my fingers closed around the irritating machine.

I flipped it open and brought it to my ear, my face never leaving the pillow case. "Hello?" I mumbled, half my mouth buried in my pillow.

"Douglas Lee Poynter!" My mother voice blared through the speaker. "Are you still asleep at this hour?"

I reluctantly opened my eyes and groaned as I saw the sun shining merrily out the window. Rolling onto my back, I looked over at my alarm clock to see that I had once again slept through my alarm. It was nearly two in the afternoon and I had class in a little less than an hour. "No, I wasn't sleeping. I was, uh, studying." I lied, climbing out of bed and began my search for some clean clothes.

"I was hoping you'd come round and have lunch with me. Your sister is coming too." I thought she sounded unusually chipper. It wasn't everyday that Jazzie visited ever since she married and moved to The States. "It will be nice to have the whole family back together again."

I rolled my eyes. More like it would be nice to have me sitting in utter silence while mum and Jazzie talked about babies and how wonderful their lives are. "As much as I'd love to, mum, I'm already running a little late for class."

"Aw." She sighed. "Alright, love. I'll let you go then. Please, please, please call me when you get home."

"I will." I promised, knowing I wasn't going to keep it. "I'll talk to you later, mum."

I flipped the phone shut after another two minutes of her saying goodbye. I had finished dressing by then and I quickly grabbed my bag, wallet and keys as I walked out the door.

Four years had passed since my mistake. Less than a month after I moved into the flat Fletch had arranged for me, Tom called to say that Danny was actually asking about me and wanted to talk things out, with everyone.

It was a Friday. I remember that. Early summer but unseasonably warm for typical England weather. We all met up at the house and seemed like we could actually move on with things. Sure, it was awkward and I came into it knowing that things weren't going to be the way they used to be right away but I was willing to gain his trust again.

This is until Harry pulled me aside and begged me to be with him. When I refused, telling him that I would never be with him as long as I lived, he stormed back into the room and announced that he was leaving the band. I never saw him again after that.

As for the band, Harry's departure was the final blow for us. Even if we replaced him, it wouldn't have been the same sound, it would have destroyed us. We held a formal press conference the following day and announced that due to personal and private reason we were splitting up.

I didn't have the heart to leave the flat after that. I didn't want to start a new life. I wanted to keep as much of my past as I could. Danny and I haven't spoken since the press conference and the last phone call I got from Tom was two years ago. On my birthday.

Eventually, I had to get my life going, more so to get my mum off my back about why I wasn't hanging out with any of the boys. I didn't have the heart to tell her why we broke up or the events of our last tour. I told her that we were having musical differences and needed to explore other horizons.

I buried myself in work and schooling, shutting myself out from the real world.

The real world was too stressful and painful to live in.

* * *

**So, that was chapter one! Thoughts?  
I know it wasn't terribly interesting, just some boring background.**

Like the last story, I'm going to do my best to post an add for it everyday but that may change since I'm also working on a Harry/Draco story as well as a Glee and another Pones story. (I have a very active mind! Ha!)

**Hope you guys liked it!**


	2. Chapter 2

I had enough time before class to stop by the music store around the corner from my flat to return a CD I had bought the other day. I really wanted to keep it but I was in a bit of a financial slump and I could use all the spare cash I could get.

Pulling the door open to the shop, I was greeted with the blaring sounds of some ancient 80's remix song playing over the stores speakers drowning out the sounds of the bells above the door signaling my entrance.

I walked up to the young girl behind the counter who pay any attention to me while she read her copy of Cosmo.

I cleared my throat in annoyance, resisting the urge to wave my hand in front of her peroxide blonde haired face.

The girl looked up at me and stashed her magazine underneath the corner with a roll of the eyes. "Can I help you?" She asked, popping her gum loudly.

"Yeah, I'd like to return this." I dug through my bag and grabbed the CD, placing it on the counter. "I was here yesterday."

"Do you have the receipt?"

I knew I forgot something. "No, but I was just here yesterday and it's not even opened."

"Rules are rules. No receipt. No return."

I ran a hand through my hair in frustration, looking around the seemingly empty store. "Is there a manager I can speak with about this?"

The girl rolled her eyes and picked up the phone beside her, hitting a three digit number. "There's a customer who wants to talk to you….okay….bye." She hung up the phone and promptly turned her back to me and spit out her gum before turning back around. "He'll be right down."

"Thanks." I snapped and tapped my foot impatiently as waiting and watched her clean up her work space before her boss came.

"What seems to be the problem here?" Came a voice the made me freeze in my spot.

I knew that voice. I'd recognized it anywhere and oh, how I'd missed it. "Tom?" I asked without even turning around to face him. I was certain it was him.

"Yes, how can I help you, sir?"

I turned around and couldn't help but smile at the sight of my old friend. He had lost some height and grew a few inches. His hair was now a more natural sandy blonde and longer but he was still Tom, down to his warm chocolate brown eyes and that signature dimple of his. "Tom." I smiled brightly.

"Dougie!" He gasped, crossing the small gap between us as pulling me into a tight hug. "I can't believe it." He laughed patting me strongly on the back. "How have you been? Where have you been?"

I laughed along with him, my first true laugh in a long time. "I've been alright. Still at the flat and all, doing the whole school thing for mum's sake, you know." I shrugged. "What about you? You're manager here?"

"Yeah." He nodded, looking around the store proudly. "Been here for about a year and a half now." He smiled down at me and chuckled. "I still can't get over the fact that you're here. There's so much we need to catch up on."

"I know."

"I've got a break coming up if you wanted to hang around."

I bit my lip and checked my watch. "I actually have class but I'm free off that. I get out at six."

"Great." He nodded. "I get out then too. Want to meet at the Starbucks a block down from here at six-thirty?"

"Sounds good to me."


	3. Chapter 3

Rounding the corner towards Starbuck's, I could already see that Tom was sitting at one of the outdoor tables. He looked up as I got closer and smiled, standing up to greet me with a warm hug.

Oh, how I've missed a Tom hug. They were the kind of hugs that could brighten a bad day and believe me, I've had my fair share of bad days lately.

We separated and sat back down, Tom passing me a cup of steaming coffee. "I took the liberty of getting you something. Hope it's alright."

I blew on the drink first before sipping the scolding liquid, nodding at the taste of peppermint and chocolate entered my mouth. "It's fine, thanks."

That was all Tom needed before he jumped into catching me up on everything he had been up to in the past four years. He still lived in London but no longer in the house we once shared since the price was to much for him on his own so he bought a flat not to far from his work.

I told him all about how I was still living at the flat though my mum paid for some of my rent so I didn't use up all the money I had received from my time with McFLY and I was currently unemployed that money was all I had. I was attending school for animal care, specializing in exotic animals.

We spent three hours sitting there talking and it wasn't until the street lights switched on that we noticed how late it was but we were having to much fun to care at the moment. "So, have you talked to any of the others since then?" Tom asked after a moment of silence.

The dead silence that followed was probably the first awkward moment I had ever had with him. I twisted the napkin that I was holding, watching as it shrunk then expanded with every twist. "The day of the press conference, Harry called to apologize for breaking up the band but still insisted on us being together." I sighed and ripped the napkin in half. "I told him he was insane and hung up. That was the last I heard of him." I ripped the napkin into pieces as a new question floated around my head. It was the one question I wanted to ask from the moment I got there and if I didn't find out, it would bother me for the rest of my life. "Uh…have you heard from Danny at all?"

Tom's shoulders straightened and his eyes, though downcast, grew wider at the mention of his name. "Yeah, I have." He replied. "We still live together, actually. After the band split, we lived in the house together but he couldn't take living there anymore so he moved back to Bolton. I moved out a few months later into my flat. We stayed in contact on and off for a year or so until one day he called me and said he was moving back to London." Tom paused and took a sip of his new cup of coffee before continuing. "He couldn't stand living at home anymore so he moved back here and wanted to see if he could crash at my place. A year and a half later and he's still there." Tom chuckled.

Even I couldn't help but smile. "He always was a lazy a_rs_e."

Tom nodded and watched me closely from over the top of his cup. "I've really missed you, Dougs." He said finally, putting his cup down on the table and folding his hands on the table. "I should have kept in touch more."

"It's alright, Tom. I caused a lot of trouble for you and I'm sorry for that."

He reached across the table and placed his hand over mine. "It's in the past. No worries anymore. Now, I've got to be heading home. I've got work in the morning." He patted my hand then sat back, pulling a pen out of his pocket and began writing on his napkin. "Here is my mobile number." He passed the napkin to me. "Give me a call and we'll hang out soon."

"Thanks." I stuffed the napkin in my pocket before reaching over for his pen and wrote my number down as well. "Here's mine too."

"Wicked." He stood up and brushed off his jeans while I threw away our empty cups. "I'll talk to you soon, Doug." He said, hugging me again.

I smiled brightly, my first true and honest smile in a long time. "I look forward to it."


	4. Chapter 4

Two days after meeting up with Tom and I hadn't heard anything from him. I felt as if I had turned into one of those girls that went on an amazing date but then ended up checking her phone nonstop when he doesn't call.

By Friday, I was convinced I had made the whole meeting up and this phone number that was magically entered into my phone was just some other Tom I must have met ages again and just didn't remember.

I was just about to delete it when my phone sprung to live and began blaring music throughout my room, Tom's name flashing on the screen. I let the phone ring a few more times, just so I didn't seem desperate, before answering it with a calm, "Hello?"

"Hey, Dougie! It's Tom." His voice was happy and chipper, just what I needed to put a smile on my doubting face.

"Oh, hey! What's up?"

He sighed. "What hasn't been up? One of my part timers quite on me so I've been pulling double shifts all week. I would have called you sooner but I've been swamped with work."

"No, it's alright mate." I reassured him. "I've been busy too so I didn't really notice." That was a complete lie but what he doesn't know won't hurt him, right?

"Good. So, I was wondering if you wanted to hang out tonight?"

"Sure!" I nearly screamed into the phone out of excitement.

He laughed on the other end. "Awesome. I was thinking we could have a cool guy's night in. You can come over to the flat, we'll watch movies, pig out on some take away. What do you say?"

My heart sank at the thought of being at his flat, the thought of coming face to face with a certain brunette. "I don't think that would be the best idea, Tom."

"Why?" He questioned but quickly realized why I was turning him down. "Oh! You don't have to worry about Danny. He's visiting his parents; won't be home till tomorrow."

I wasn't sure if I was happy or sad knowing that. I was dreading the thought of seeing Danny again after what I had done and the way things ended but a part of me still wanted to see him, to see if he was still the same Danny I had imprinted in my mind.

"So, you still up for coming over?" Tom asked, breaking me out of my thoughts.

"Yeah." I confirmed. "That would be awesome."

I hung up with Tom a few minutes later and looked down at the piece of paper that had his address scribbled down on it.

Butterflies erupted in my stomach as I realized how close I had been Danny this entire time without even knowing it. If I remembered correctly, their flat was only fifteen - twenty minutes away from mine and I was about to go there, to see the place he now lives in.

Without wasting anymore time, I checked my appearance in the mirror before grabbing my wallet and key and headed out the door for my night with Tom.


	5. Chapter 5

The cab pulled up outside a very pricey looking apartment building and I had to look at the address I had written down again to make sure I was at the right place. After nearly five minutes of second guessing and an internal battle with myself over whether or not I should just turn around and go home, I finally paid the driver and climbed out of the cab.

I walked down the path way towards the doors of the building admiring the perfectly manicured lawn and garden. This place was almost to good to be true and I couldn't help but feel extremely out of place.

A doorman greeted me, holding the door open and offered to direct me to my destination. I smiled politely and thanked him as I stepped into the elevator, pressing the button for the third floor. I laughed to myself on the way up at the irony of Tom living on the third floor and, subconsciously, I began humming the tune to one of our forgotten songs.

With a ding, the doors clattered open and I stepped out into a small hallway that one had four doors. Looking down at my paper, I took a few steps to the left and matched my crudely written two with the elegant gold one nailed onto the door then knocked twice on the door, rocking back and forth on my heels as I waited.

Footsteps sounded on the other end of the door and with a quick twist of the handle the door creaked open and I was greeted by a cute girl standing in the doorway. "Hello!" She greeted me with a dazzling smile and a warm hug. "You must be Dougie. I'm Giovanna, Tom's girlfriend. Come on in." She stepped back inside and gestured for me to come in. "Tom! Dougie is here."

A head of blonde poked around the corner and Tom smiled widely. "Alright, mate?"

"Yeah." I nodded, still standing in the doorway awkwardly.

Tom came down the hall and greeted me, pulling me more into his flat. "Make yourself at home. Living room is right down the hall there." He pointed to the room he had just come out from.

"I'll get you boys some drinks." Giovanna said, pecking Tom on the cheek as she left us.

"How did you manage to get a girl like her?" I joked, elbowing Tom in the ribs.

He smiled, never taking his eyes off of her until she disappeared into the kitchen. "She's pretty special." He said in an almost dazed like voice.

It was new to me to see such a look of love on Tom's face. He had many faces when we were in the band but never once did I see a look of love on his face and, deep down, I felt like that was partially my fault. Tom was always looking after me and trying to help me fix my problems that he never got the chance to go out and find a special someone to make him happy.

I followed Tom down the hall and into the living room. It was a giant room, possibly the size of my flat all together. Immaculately white walls with a white couch the stretched across the wall. A flat screen television hung on the wall across from the couch above the fireplace.

I walked around the room, examining the posters and things he has hanging up on the walls. He had all of McFly's plagues hanging up. I never realized how many platinum's and number ones we got over our short career as a band.

Making my way over to the fireplace I smiled at the pictures the lined to top. A majority were various photos of Tom and Giovanna on holiday or just goofing off around the flat but I froze on one particular photo.

It had to have been from this past Christmas. In the background you could see the giant tree with all the lights and garland shining from the camera flash and in front of that tree was Tom, Giovanna and Danny.

The three of them smiling cheerfully as they celebrated the holiday. Tom and Giovanna were holding each other, her head resting on his shoulder while Danny stood with his arm resting on Tom's shoulder, a pink paper crown sitting on top of his curly mop of hair.

I smiled ever so slightly and ran my thumb over his smiling face, memories of that same look coming back to me.

I could feel Tom standing behind me and I drew my hand away from the frame. "You want to talk about it?" He asked and could tell he was worried I was about to have a breakdown or something.

I turned and flashed him a reassuring smile and shook my head. "No, tonight is about me and you catching up."

And did we ever. Four hours later and we had only covered a year. I don't think I had laughed so much in four years, though, and it was an amazing feeling. It felt like I had gained back a missing piece of myself, like was a starting to feel like the Dougie I once was.

We were just getting into a story about how Tom came to find this place when Giovanna came out of the bedroom with a magazine held up. "You have got to see this." She said in between fits of giggles.

Tom took the magazine and briefly scanned the page before bursting with laughter.

I frowned and took the magazine. It was one of those stupid tabloids but this particular one had a section called 'Blasts from the past' and there, two pictures down, was a photo of Tom and I sitting outside Starbucks.

I looked up at Tom and together we started laughing. I don't even know why I found it so funny. Maybe it was the fact that people still remembered us or the fact that they found it so important to take a photo of us.

As much as I didn't want to, I eventually said goodnight and made my way home with a promise to call soon to plan another get together.

Stumbling into my flat, I flicked on my lights and checked the clock. 3:47 am. I yawned and threw my keys down beside my phone and answering machine which greeted me with the blinking red light, telling me I had new messages.

I pressed the play button and stood next to the machine while I looked through my mail.

_"Dougie? It's mum. Call me back when you-"_ I pressed the delete button, making a mental note to call her back in the morning.

_"Hey there, big brother! I-"_ Delete. I wasn't in the mood to listen to Jazz right now.

I was just about to leave when the machine beeped and the next message played. I froze, the mail falling out of my hands as the familiar voice echoed through my flat. A voice I hadn't heard in four years. A voice that could stop my heart with a simple greeting.

_"Hello Dougie."_


	6. Chapter 6

"_Hello Dougie."_

The sun had long since risen but I was still awake, constantly replaying the message on my machine. His voice hadn't changed; it still sent a chill down my spine but the question still ran through my mind: How did Harry get my number?

I rubbed my tired eyes and tried with all my might not to panic over this. The odds that he knew where I was were slim. I made sure I was an unlisted number so he couldn't find me in the phonebook which meant he knew someone who knew where I was.

I paced the length of my apartment, my finger automatically hitting the 'play' button every time I passed the answering machine, as I tried to think of who could have told him my number and the worst fear in my mind…did he know where I lived?

I pivoted sharply and walked back towards the machine when my phone rang, making me jump in fright.

I stared at the phone as it rang away, the rings refusing to end until I picked up.

With a shaky hand, I lifted the phone off the cradle and press the button to accept the call. "Hello?" I asked cautiously.

"Hello, love." My mum's cheerful voice sounded, instantly calming my racing heart. "Are you alright? You sound different?"

I cleared my throat and took a deep breath. "I'm fine. Just tired." I smiled despite the fact she couldn't see me. "What's up?"

"Well, I was hoping you'd come over for tea. I haven't seen you in so long."

I sighed. "I'd love to mum but I didn't get much sleep last night so I think I'm just going to stay in and crash."

"But Dougie, please." She said in her typical mother pleading voice.

"Mum, if you don't want to be alone then call Jazz. I'm sure she'll come by."

She groaned in frustration with me. "I'm not going to be alone. I have some special company over."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not really in the mood for nana."

"It's not nana." She chuckled. "It's a friend of ours. He just moved into the neighborhood."

"What friend?"

"If I told you, that would ruin the surprise." I could hear someone talking in the background and I try to hone in on the voice. "He wants to say hi."

I waited while the phone was passed over before. "You know, Doug. You're really horrible at returning phone calls." Harry's posh voice entered my ear and the phone dropped from my hand.


	7. Chapter 7

Due to the shortness of this chapter, I'm going to be nice and give you two chapters tonight.  
Enjoy! :)

* * *

I didn't stop to think about what I was doing. All I knew was that I had to run.

The thought that Harry knew my number only led me to assume he knew where I lived. I didn't feel safe in my flat anymore so I went to the first place I could think of. The only place I knew was safe. Tom's flat.

The taxi came to a halt outside his apartment building. I paid the driver and walked quickly inside.

Pounding on Tom's door, I glanced down the hallway anxiously, like Harry was going to appear at the other end.

Tom opened the door a few seconds later but quickly shut it nearly all the way when he saw me standing in the doorway. "Hey." He said awkwardly, half of his face peering out at me from the door. "What are you doing here?"

"Harry called me." I said breathlessly, ignoring his odd behavior.

He seemed to relax and opened the door a little wider so I could see his whole body. "When did this happen?"

"Last night there was a message on my answering machine from him and then he called from my mum's house." I laughed despite how not funny the situation was, running a hand through my hair. "He's at my bloody mum's house!"

Tom sighed and bit his lip, thinking things over. That's when I heard movement behind him. "Hey Tom! Who's at the door?" A strong northern accent rang in my ears.

My stomach flipped and Tom smiled apologetically at me before looking over his shoulder. "It's no one, Dan." He turned back to me. "Give me a second."

He shut the door and left me standing there. I stared at the door in a daze. After all these years of wondering about where he was or how he was doing. All the times I fought against trying to find him. The only separating us was a thin piece of wood.

My fingers twitched and my arm raised, reaching out for the door as if it would somehow a way to touch him once more. But the door opened before my fingers could touch it and Tom stepped out, closing the door behind him and pulling his jacket on. "Come on. Let's go for a coffee and talk about this better."


	8. Chapter 8

I sat with the steaming coffee in my hand, listening to Tom recap everything I had just told him about Harry calling me then showing up at my mum's house. "Why didn't your mum just kick him out? I mean after everything he's done."

I sighed. "My mum doesn't know." I looked up at Tom finally. "I never told her the real reason why McFLY broke up."

"Oh, Dougie." Tom said, reaching out and took my hand.

I didn't even realize that I had been crying till the tear fell onto my hand. I brought my free arm up and wiped my face, choking back the lump in my throat. "Why is this happening to me, Tom?" I asked, coughing out a sob. "As soon as I think I'm rid of him…he just pops up again and ruins everything."

Tom got up from his chair and walked around the table, slinging his arm around me. "It's going to be alright." He whispered in my ear, wrapping his other arm around me, rubbing my back comfortingly. "I want let him do this to you again. You hear me." He pulled back, looking me right in my eyes. "I'm on your side, Dougie. No matter what."

I nodded and sniffed. "Thanks Tom."

He slapped my back and stood up, motioning for me to do the same. "Come on. I'll drive you home." He said, grabbing our forgotten and now cold drinks.

I nodded and stood up, following to his car. We were silent on the ride back to my flat, my mind wondering back to Tom's flat where Danny was. All he had to do was turn the corner, just an ounce of curiosity as to who was at the door.

His voice was so happy. So carefree. I missed the days when my voice sounded like that. The days where Danny made my voice like that. I wanted those days back so badly, it physically hurt.

We had round the corner to my street, the familiar sight of my building coming into view. I sat up and started to unbuckle my seatbelt when I caught Tom's hands tightening on the wheel. "Son of a bitch." his hissed. "Keep your head down."

I furrowed my eyebrows. I was about to ask him what was wrong when my heart stopped. Harry was sitting the bench in front of my building. I slouched down in my seat as Tom sped past, looking straight ahead as he did.

"What do I do?" I whispered, though it wasn't necessary. "Where do I go?"

Tom kept his face blank and focused on the road, his knuckles white and tense on the steering wheel. "You're coming back to my place."

"What?" I blanched, my eyes widening to their limits. "I can't go there."

"Of course you can." He said simply.

"What about Danny?"

He glanced over at me, the softness returning to his eyes. "I told I'd be there for you no matter what." He smiled warmly. "Besides, it's time Danny got over it."


	9. Chapter 9

My nerves were completely shot by the time we pulled up to Tom's building. I had been imagining this moment; the moment Danny and I would meet once again but never did I think it would be because of Harry or with Tom by my side.

Tom was talking to me but I couldn't hear a word he said over the sound of my heart beating. I looked down at my shirt and I could actually see my shirt moving from the force of the beats.

I couldn't do anything on my own. My brain was in shut down and the nerves had taken over but I was thankful to have Tom with me, even if I couldn't hear him talking to me or feel his hand on mine as he guided me inside the building and into the lift.

"Dougie?" His voice finally broke through the hammering and I looked over to see him watching me cautiously. "Are you alright? You look awfully pail."

I took a short breath but my throat closed up before I could say anything.

"It'll be alright." He said, watching the floor count rise on the elevator.

"What if he doesn't want me there?" I whispered so silently that even I barely heard it leave my mouth.

Tom shrugged casually. "It is my flat. He pays me to live there."

I know that was supposed to reassure me but all it did was leave a horrible scene of Danny packing up and leaving all because of me. I would make Tom lose a friend all because I was to afraid to stand up to my past.

The elevator shuddered to a holt and the doors slid open. Tom, again, took my hand and led me down the hallway towards his flat, pulling out his keys with his spare hand.

He opened the door and held it open for me to enter. "Just take your shoes off and um…wait here." He said, the first sign of nerves appearing his voice as he looked towards the living room where he had left Danny.

The murmurs of the T.V. could be hear where I was standing and I could feel the sweat forming on my palms as Tom walked down the small hallway into the living room. It was silent, apart from the television show but I could see the shadows of the two figures on the wall in conversations.

Tom's hands were held out in front of him while he talked as if he was getting ready to hold Danny back in case he tried to take off but Danny's shadow stayed motionless the entire time before disappearing from my view followed by a door shutting.

Tom reappeared in the hallway, blowing out a lungful of air and rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, you can stay on the couch as long as you need to." He smiled and waved me to follow him into the living room.

"Are you sure it's alright?" I whispered, glancing warily at the door that Danny had disappeared through .

"Yeah, it's fine." Tom answered in the same hushed tone. "And why are you whispering?"

I cleared my throat and shrugged. "I just don't want to upset-"

"Danny?" Tom finished. "Stop worrying. He'll deal with it." He walked over to the linen closet across the room and pulled out a blanket and spare pillow, depositing them on to the couch. "If you're hungry, help yourself to whatever is in the kitchen. You remember where the bathroom is and that's about it really. If you need anything else, feel free to ask me." I nodded and thanked him. Tom smiled and patted my shoulder before walking off to his room.


	10. Chapter 10

**Due to the shortness of this chapter, you guys will be getting two chapters tonight!  
Thank you again for the reviews. They always bring such a smile to my face. :)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The morning sun shown through the windows of Tom's apartment, casting warming light upon the couch that was my make shift bed.

I stretched out, my back cracking in the process. I didn't sleep much that night and not because of my sleeping arrangements but because I could stop looking at the door to Danny's room. I was almost wishing it to open up in the middle of night, him to walk out and see me. I wouldn't even care if he glared at me, yelled at me, spit on me; I just wanted to see his face again.

I kicked the sheets off and swung my legs over the edge of the couch. I ran my hands through my hair, scratching the back of my neck before getting up and walking down the hall to the bathroom.

Once I was finished doing my business, I made my way back into the living room and plopped down onto the couch. There was rustling in the kitchen but I chalked it up to Tom making himself his usual morning cup of tea. He was the only guy I knew that never needed an alarm to get up, he just rose with the sun.

I sighed and looked around the quiet room, contemplating if I should try and go back to my place in hopes that Harry had left by now when something caught my eye. Danny's bedroom door was open and, from what I could see, it was empty.

Immediately, my heart rate increased and I became acutely aware of every single sound that was going on in that kitchen. The sound of the refrigerator door opening and closing, the spoon hitting the sides of the mug as the tea is stirred, the footsteps that grew closer and closer to me.

My head moved, as if in slow motion, to my left just as the person who had been in the kitchen walked into the room. His hair was disheveled, his t-shirt had a stain running down the middle and his boxers had a hole right by his thigh but he still looked just as perfect as I remembered him.

He was still Danny.


	11. Chapter 11

Time stood still around us. I couldn't move, I couldn't think and if I wasn't for pure instinct and natural brain function, I would have forgotten how to breath all together.

He shifted uncomfortably, trying to look at anything that wasn't me but his eyes kept trailing my way.

I cleared my throat and took a deep breath. "Hi." It came out in a whisper, sounding like a sigh rather than a greeting.

"Hello." The sound of his voice, however strained and terse, still sent a chill down my spine. Oh, how I had missed his voice.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Tom come into the room. He immediately paused, looked at the two of us, turned on his heels and disappeared back down the hallway he came from.

"How long are you staying?"

"It was just for the night." I told him, toying with a piece of lint on my blanket. "I should be getting back home soon anyways, I've got to get to work."

He nodded, his lips pouting ever so slightly. "Right."

"I would have stayed somewhere else last night, just so you know, but Tom wouldn't take no for an answer."

"Yeah, he's a great guy." He said, his voice never raising over a whisper. He strode across the floor towards his room, his eyes trained in front of him.

"It's good to see you again." The words fell from my lips before I had time to stop them. I watched anxiously as he paused in his doorway, his shoulders tensed. My heart pounded against my ribcage. His shoulders relaxed gradually and he stepped into his room, closing the door behind him without another word.

I leaned back against the couch, trying to calm my heart down when Tom poked his head around the corner, glancing my way. "Is the coast clear?"

"Yeah, he's gone."

He sat down beside me on the couch and looked on expectantly. "So, how did it go?" He asked finally. "I didn't hear any screaming so I'm going with good."

"He didn't yell at me if that's what you're thinking."

"Well, that's a good thing." He grinned, nudging my arm.

I shrugged. "He didn't seem to thrilled to see me either."

"That's to be expected."

"I know. I wasn't expecting a miracle."

Tom laughed lightly. "In all honesty, Dougie, I'm amazed that he spoke to you at all. He went five years refusing to even acknowledge your existence and the fact that he was even able to form words around you is a really good sign."

I reached over and pulled Tom into a hug. "Thanks Tom. For everything." I sat back and smiled. "I'm going to be in debt to you for eternity."

"It's not a problem, mate." He patted my knee and stood up, stretching his arms wide, making his back crack. "So, what do you want for breakfast? I actually learned how not to burn eggs, took me two years to figure it out but now I can make a mean omelet, what do you say?"

"I'm impressed and very tempted but I've got to head back home." I stood up and began folding my blanket. "I've got work in a few hours."

"I can take you to work."

"I can't go in these." Pointing out my wrinkled, slept in clothes. "Besides my work keys are at my flat."

"I'll drive you then, just to be safe." He insisted, moving down the hall to get his shoes on.

I followed after him. "Tom!" I said, pulling him aside. "You've done enough for me already. I'll take a cab."

"I know. I know." He sighed. "It's the father in me."

I smiled and kissed his forehead. "And I love you for it." I put my shoes on and grabbed my coat. "I'll talk to you later."

He held the door open and stood in the hallway, watching me leave. "Call me when you get home so I know you got there okay."

"Tom!"

"Alright! Alright!" He laughed, holding his hand up and turning back into his flat. "I'm sorry!"


	12. Chapter 12

Harry was no where in sight when I got home that morning, much to my relief. I was still on my guard though after paying the cab driver and stepping out the vehicle.

I eyed the cars parked on the side of the road to make sure he wasn't hiding there and checked the bushes by the door but he must have given up and headed home.

I rushed up to my flat and showered quickly, dressed and was out the door in thirty minutes, a personal record for me.

It was only a five minute walk to the book story that I worked at but it gave me enough time to replay that morning in my head.

After four years of wondering, of imagining. After four years, I finally spoke to Danny and the best I could come up with was 'It's good to see you again."

That's the kind of thing you say to your grandma when she's leaving to go back to the home, not to someone like Danny.

Every word, every emotion, I'd been waiting to tell him was wasted. Who knew when I would get another chance to talk to him again. He probably never wanted to talk to me again. I could write him a letter explaining how much I missed him. That I loved him then and still love him now. How everything that happened was a mistake that I would never forgive myself for.

He could easily just burn it. No, those things had to be said in person.

Pushing open the store's front door, I was met with silence. That was the amazing thing about that place. No matter what commotion was going on outside, no sound ever occurred once the door shut.

It was the kind of place that you loved yet hated at the same time. Being able to read something or just think without any distractions was lovely but when you pull an eight hour shift in silence, it get a bit unnerving.

"You're five minutes late, Dougie." Ms. Jacobs, the owner and my boss, said walking out of the backroom with a box full of new release books.

"Sorry." I apologized while clocking in and grabbing my nametag. "I stayed at a friend's house last night."

She laughed and passed the box of books to me to stock on the shelves. "Since when did you have friends?"

"Oh! Ha! Ha!"

"I'm serious, though." She said. "You never mention any friends."

I shrugged, picking up a stack of books from the box and began placing them in their correct place on the shelves. "That's because I didn't really have any. It's just an old friend that I'm reconnecting with."

"It's not that blonde bloke I saw you in that magazine with, was it?"

"You read tabloid magazines?" I questioned her skeptically. She didn't even know who I was much less who McFLY was when I applied for the job three years ago so to picture her giggling over a Tiger Beat seemed a bit far fetched.

She smiled smugly and turned to head into the back. "They pass the time during breaks."

I shook my head and turned back to my work. I was just putting the last of the books away when the sounds of cars passing by and chatting pedestrians signaled that someone had entered the store. "Hi. I'll be with you in just a moment." I said, still facing the wall.  
I quickly shoved the last two books into place with an accomplished grin before turning around. "Sorry about that, now, how can I help-"

I froze. It couldn't be. There was no way. I must have been dreaming or something.

The figure in the doorway stepped further into the store and I instinctively took the same amount of steps back. The figure's lips curled into a smirk as it looked my over and said. "You know, Dougie. You're a hard man to track down."


	13. Chapter 13

"What-what are you doing here?" I gasped, feeling as if I'd just been punched in the gut.

Harry cautiously stepped closer and pulled his hands out of his jacket pockets, holding them palms facing out as a sign he meant no harm. "I just came to talk to you."

"I have nothing to say to you." I said bluntly, glaring at his somber face. "Now leave."

He flinched at my words and looked away, dropping his hands to his side. "Dougs-"

"Don't call me that." I growled through clenched teeth. "You lost the right to call me that a long time ago."

"Alright. Alright." He brought his hands back up and stepped back. "You're right. I'm not here to upset you. I just saw the picture of you and Tom in the papers the other day and it got me thinking of the good old days and…" He looked close to tears as he spoke. His face contorted in pain and he rushed forward till he was barely an inch away from me, his arms reaching out for me. "Dougie, I'm so sorry."

This was a side of Harry I'd never seen before. I felt actual sympathy for him. I felt his pain and reached out to him but I stopped before we made contact, reality crashing down on me. "No." I whispered, shaking the feelings from my head. "No. No. No!" I said, my sympathy being replaced by anger at his self centerness. "You had four years to do that. That's all you had to do was say you were sorry and admit what you did but oh no, not you." I ran my hand through my hair, crossing to the other side of the store. "You had to be all stubborn and arrogant and…_you_ that you took away everything that mattered to me. The band, Tom, Danny." He stood his ground as I marched back to him though his eyes showed he was nervous. "It was all your fault and I will never forgive you. Now leave and don't come near me or my family ever again."

He nodded and brushed past me, heading towards the door. I took a shaky breath and went back to the stack of books I still had to put out. The sounds of the city filled the store once more and I shut my eyes waiting for the silence to come. "It's not healthy to hold grudges, Dougie." Harry said. "Once you've grown up a bit more, you'll realize that."

I grabbed the closest book to me and spun around, throwing it as hard as I could. "Get out!" I yelled but my words were unheard and my book slammed against the wall as the door to the shop closed and Harry disappeared into the crowd outside.


	14. Chapter 14

Ms. Jacobs practically ordered me to go on my break after my encounter with Harry, saying I needed time to cool down but in all honesty, I wasn't mad at all. In fact, I was happy.

For years I have wondered what it would have been like to see Harry again. What would I say? What would he say? I always pictured me standing tall while he groveled at my feet, begging for forgiveness that would never come. Though it didn't pan out that exact way, I was still satisfied with the end result. I had stood up for myself and finally told Harry just a sample of all the things I really wanted to tell him.

I felt a great weight lift off my chest and a feeling of calm wash over me. It was a feeling, an excitement, that I couldn't contain. I pulled out my phone, scrolled through my contacts and called Tom. It rang only twice before he picked up the line. "Hey!"

"Hey, Dougs!" His cheerful voice responded. "What's up?"

"Eh, you know, working…sort of ran into Harry."

There was silence for a moment before he said, "What do you mean?"

"He showed up at my shop."

"Is he still there?" Tom asked immediately. "I can take my break now and be there in five minutes, tops."

I laughed. "Mate, it's fine. He's gone now."

"Well, what happened?"

I shrugged even though he couldn't see me. "He tracked me down, probably found out from my mum where I worked, and wanted to apologize."

"Really?" He sounded rather unconvinced.

"Yeah," I sighed, laughing slightly. "He said that he saw the photo of me and you in the papers and started thinking of the old days. Said he was sorry for everything and wanted to be friends again."

"And?"

"I told him to fuck off."

Tom laughed for a good five seconds before taking a shaky breath. "Shut up!"

"Yup, I mean, he's had years to say sorry and it took a photo in a magazine to make him come back." I frowned. "A bit too little, too late."

"Good for you, Dougie." Tom said, earnestly. "I'm really proud of you."

I smiled warmly. "Thanks."

"This calls for a celebratory drink at my place!" Tom announced, his voice turning from a proud parents back to my excited best friend. "Come over whenever you get out, if I'm not home then I'm sure Gi will keep you company and I'm not taking no for an answer."

I giggled. "Okay. I'll see you later."

I hung up the phone and continued to smile down at the screen until Tom's name disappeared, being replaced with my phone's wallpaper. I slipped my phone back into my pocket and walked back into my store, feeling rejuvenated and excited to finish up to day and spend the night with Tom.

I just had a feeling that nothing was going to bring me down.


	15. Chapter 15

Tom was already home when I arrived at his flat. He greeted me with his usual welcoming smile and a quick hug.

Tom wasted no time in questioning me about the events of the day. I had barely sat down when he asked me to recount my day, no details spared.

"It was so weird." I said minutes later, finishing up my story. "He looked exactly the same. He hadn't changed at all."

Tom sat across from me on the couch, his knees pulled up to his chest. "None of us have really changed." He said, stretching up to get his can of beer.

I scoffed and raised an eyebrow as Tom's shirt rode up his back as he stretched revealing a bit of his toned stomach. "Speak for yourself."

Tom followed my eye line and pulled his shirt down, his cheeks turning a faint pink. "I guess the gym has done me good."

"I'd say! It's a shame you're not gay."

"Get a few more beers in me and we'll see what happens." He winked at me and took the final swig of his beer.

I laughed, finishing my own drink off as well. "I don't think your girlfriend will be too thrilled with that."

"Please! She's probably film it."

"Well then, let me get you another drink" I stood up and went to go to the kitchen but paused then turned towards the hallway. "…after I have a quick wee."

"Oh, Dougie! You sure know how to charm a man."

I always did my best thinking in the bathroom. My mind swam with thoughts of Harry while I washed my hands. I kept wondering if things would have been any different if Harry had apologized sooner. Would the band had been able to survive a come back? Would Danny and I be talking again…or even together?

I pushed the thoughts aside. No good came from dwelling on what could have been. I've done that long enough and it hasn't gotten me anywhere useful.

I dried my hands and made my way back out to the living room. In the hallways, I could get hushed whispers coming from the living room. I slowed down and watched the shadows of two figures silhouetted on the wall in from of me. As I drew closer, the voices of the silent argument became more distinct. One belonged to Tom and the other was…Danny's.


	16. Chapter 16

**Sorry for not adding last night. I worked a double shift and ended up falling asleep as soon as I got home.  
Thank you guys for your lovely reviews! Always manage to put such a smile on my face. 3**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

I tiptoed closer to the end of the hall so I could hear better. Tom's shadow was still, arms crossed while Danny's was animated in a defensive stance.

"-that's besides the point." I heard Danny hiss, his hands resting on his hip.

Tom sighed. "What exactly is the point?"

"You should have told me."

"Why?" Tom's shadow moved slightly, his hand pointing at Danny accusingly. "Since when have you had such a problem with me inviting friends over?"

"I don't. I have a problem with you inviting _him_ over without telling me first." I flinched at the harshness in voice when he said 'him'. Did he really hate me that much still? Of course he did and I deserved it.

Tom began to pace, his voice rising to normal volume. It was firm and commanding now. Almost angry. "So, you can run off to your friend's place and not be seen till morning?"

"That's not fair."

"You know what's not fair?" The shadow spun around and came flush with Danny. "You making me feel like I have to choose. It's always been that way- you or Dougie." Tom's finger jabbed Danny in the chest and he took a step back. "I chose you four years ago because you were hurt and needed me and look at you now. You have a great career, loads of friends and you're happy. Dougie doesn't have any of that. He's stuck in the past because he didn't have anyone there for him. He's been alone for four years. Christ, he hasn't even told his mum the real reason for the band's split."

"And that's my fault?"

"Of course it isn't your fault. It's just that he feels so guilty for what happened, he couldn't even move out of that flat. He hasn't had anyone to talk to about it like you did so he's not going to get over it as quickly as you."

There was a moment of silence where Danny's head hung low and Tom sighed, lifting his head up towards the ceiling.

"Harry found him today." Tom said finally, still looking up.

Danny's head snapped up. "What?"

"Showed up at his job asking for forgiveness and do you know what Dougie did?" Tom's voice had softened now. "He turned him down. After all this time, he could have let go but he's still so hurt over losing you. That's why he's here: to celebrate," As quickly as the softness had come it was gone again. Tom faced Danny as they stood face to face. "and if you have a problem with that then you have to remember something, this is my flat and you pay me to live here. Now, I have no intention of stopping my friendship with Dougie and I will invite him over when ever I please so I'm giving you three options: A) you move out, B) you stay shut in your room till he leaves or C) you actually sit down and get to know him again. You'll find he hasn't changed much."

Both men didn't say a word after and I had to hold my breath in fear of being heard. Finally, there was some shuffling and Danny's shadow disappeared.

"You can come out now, Doug." I jumped at Tom's voice. His shadow hadn't moved at all and he still had his back to me when I come out of the hallway.

"How did you know I was there?"

He turned to face me with the smile and laughed. "No human can piss that long."

I laughed with him and pulled him into a tight hug. "Thanks, Tom."

"Don't mention it." He whispered back and led me to the couch.

Tom didn't say anything but kept his eyes over my shoulder. I was too afraid to look as the shuffling coming from the kitchen told me all I needed to know. I felt myself tense when Danny entered the room. I didn't need to see him to know he was there. He came into view when he took a seat, somewhat reluctantly, in the chair across from us.

I was too scared to look at him or even speak and I knew Danny would never say anything out of principle. That was the kind of man he was. When his mind was set to something, there was no changing it.

Suddenly, Tom slapped his knee and said with a cheerful voice. "So, Danny, how was work today?"


	17. Chapter 17

Things didn't go exactly the way Tom planned them to go that night. He tried his best to get Danny and I to talk to each other but it just turned into Tom talking to the two of us about anything he could think of. Danny spent the whole time looking at either Tom or his lap, only nodding and giving the quick one word answer while I tried to act like I wasn't bothered by Danny's obvious discomfort at being there and put on a brave face.

Tom apologized to me when he showed me out, saying things would get better. It was a baby step. I knew better though.

I was barely able to sleep, my mind replaying the evening over and over. Different scenarios each time, the one where I did sleep through was the best outcome. It was hot to say the least. I tried to push all other endings aside and let that one remain, filling me with the memories of years' passed and putting a smile on my face as I walked down the street on my way to work.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't see the man exiting the shop ahead of me and collided with him. I stumbled back and went to apologize until I saw who it was I had hit. "D-Danny." I stammered. "What are you doing here?"

Danny stuffed his hands in my pockets and looked over at the store he had just walked out of, Tom's work. "I was just dropping something off to Tom."

I swallowed hard, trying to get rid of the nervous lump in my throat. My mind was racing but I still couldn't think of anything to say except, "I'm going to work." I lowered my head and chuckled to myself at how lame that sounded.

Danny sniffed. "I won't keep you then."

'_KEEP ME! PLEASE KEEP ME!' _My head screamed, urging me to wrap my arms around him so he couldn't leave again but I resisted and only nodded in response.

I had managed to make it two steps passed him when Danny's hand brushed my arm and I froze. The contact was so brief but it was enough to send my stomach into summersaults. I heard him sigh when I didn't turn to face him and then he said, "When are you free next?"

"Tell Tom I'm off tomorrow." I said and started walking again.

"I'm not asking for Tom." Again, I froze. Danny walked around so he was facing me now, his hands in his pockets. It was the longest he had made eye contact with me and I wasn't sure how much longer my heart could take being under his intense gaze. "I just wanted to see if you wanted to go somewhere and talk." His voice sounded so soft and warm.

I almost forgot that we were standing in the middle of a busy sidewalk. I was so absorbed in his eyes, his voice, his scent. No one existed expect for me and him in that moment. "Really?"

"Yeah, sure." He said, his face showing no emotion but his eyes were asking me to say 'yes'.

"Okay." I replied with a smile.

Danny gave another sigh, of relief or out of tension, I didn't know. He pulled one of his hands out of his pocket and handed me a scrap of paper and a pen. "There is something I have to check on first about tomorrow so why don't you give me your number and I'll text you with the time and place."

I wrote down my number and handed it back to him, hoping he wouldn't notice how much my hand was shaking.

He gave one final nod, turned around and started walking in the direction of his flat. I stood there and waited for him to vanish from sight before I continued on my way to work and I didn't even care that I was ten minutes late.


	18. Chapter 18

I couldn't get Danny out of my head all day. The more I tried to focus, the more his face came to my mind. Every customer I talked to had his voice. Ms. Jacobs had finally had enough of me staring at people like an idiot and put me out on the floor putting books away.

I was standing on the step ladder putting a stack of new releases on the shelf when my phone vibrated in my pocket. I balanced my pile skillfully in one hand while I fished my phone out with the other. It was a text message from a phone I didn't recognize, yet I knew exactly who it was.

_We'll meet at the park across from my flat. 3:30 okay with you?_

I text him back that I would be there then added his number to my contacts. I opened the text back up and stared at it a moment longer. We were meeting. Officially…in less than twelve hours.

"Excuse me?"

I snapped out of my daze and spun around the see who spoke completely forgetting that I was still on a ladder and fell off. "Ah!" I yelled, covering my head as the books tumbled on top of me.

"Oh my God! I'm so sorry!" A female's voice exclaimed, pushing some of the books off. "I didn't mean to startle you!"

I shook my head and pushed myself up into a seated position. "It's alright. Not your fault." I reassured her. I looked up at her panicked face and smiled to show that I really was alright. "How can I help you?"

She gave a nervous laughed and tucked a strand of her fiery red hair behind her ear. "It should be me helping you." She said, offering me a helpful hand.

I gratefully took it and brushed myself off. "No worries. No harm done."

"Good. Um…I was wondering if I could hang a few of these in your window for my friend's band." She said, holding up some pink and yellow flyers. "They're having their first performance next Saturday and I'm trying to spread the word."

I scratched the back of my neck and looked over to find Ms. Jacobs dealing with a line of people. I looked back her hopeful face and nodded. "I'll have to check with my manager first but that shouldn't be a problem."

"Thank you so much!" She gushed, handing me a few flyers. "I really appreciate it. You're more than welcome to come as well. Tell the guy at the door that Anna sent you, that's me," She pointed to herself with a smirk. "and you'll get in no charge."

A free concert. Who could resist that! "Hey, thanks. I'm Dougie, by the way."

She looked down and tucked her hair behind her ear again, her cheeks turning a tint of pink. "I kind of know who you are. I recognized you, that and my friend always mentions how he knew you before you were famous. I say he's full of it."

"Who is your friend?"

"Aaron Matthews. He says he met you at the McFLY auditions."

I tried to place a face with a name then I remembered the boy with his hand on my knee and how nice he was. "I do remember him! Spiky brown hair, blue eyes?"

"His hair is a bit longer now but yeah, that's him." She grinned.

"Wow! So, he finally has his own band."

"Almost." She said and continued after seeing my questioning look. "We're auditioning guitarists and drummers later today."

"You're advertising for a band that hasn't even been made yet?"

She shrugged. "He's impatient." We shared a laugh before she tucked the rest of her flyers in her bag and stuck her hands in her pocket. "So, I can tell him you'll be there?"

I nodded. "I'll definitely check it out."

"Awesome. Thanks again."

"Don't mention it." I waved goodbye and watched her leave the shop. Ms. Jacobs was watching from her spot at the register and gave me a nod of approval for the flyers. I went to go hang them up but she coughed sternly and looking at the back wall.

I winced at the mess of books that covered the back wall and set back to finishing my original task, my mind finally switching off from my big meeting to come the next day.


	19. Chapter 19

There was no sleeping for me that night. I couldn't stop thinking about what was to happen in only mere hours.

This meeting with Danny could change everything for me. It was my chance to finally get things back to the way they were meant to be with him and I. It was a chance for closure and a way to put everything behind us.

I tossed and turned all night trying to get some sleep but by the time it turned eight o'clock in the morning and I had managed to get in a grand total of one hour and thirty five minutes of sleep, I figured it was a useless effort and got out of bed.

My morning consisted of me pacing back and forth looking at the clock, cleaning my room and then cleaning it again, some sit ups and push ups and taking a quick shower. It wasn't until I was drying my hair that a new wave of nerves hit my stomach like a fist. I was thankful I decided not to eat anything or else I would have vomited.

I finished styling my hair and spent over an hour scrutinizing my entire wardrobe before I finally settled on something to wear. If you didn't know any better, you would think I was going on a date. No, I couldn't think like that; I mustn't think like that. This was just two people getting together to talk. Nothing more.

Nothing more.

I had spent so much time getting ready that it was already ten past three by the time I left my apartment. It was a sunny early fall day, the low hanging sun shining it's rays over the bustling street though no one could feel it's warmth over the gusting breeze.

I walked with my head down, coat wrapped tight around me as I rounded the corner to Tom's apartment, the park coming into view. I trotted across the street and looked around for any sign of Danny but couldn't see him anywhere. I knew that I was early but my heart was still racing, my mind telling me he wasn't really going to show.

I sat down on the first empty bench closest to the entrance, that way he could see me easily when-if-he arrived. I looked around watching the school kids mess around in the open field, laughing joyously, throwing fallen leaves at each other and kicking a soccer ball around.

Another gust of wind blew across my back and I had to pull my hands from my pockets to shield my hair from being blown about. I gave a sigh of frustration as I tried to flatten my hair. Why was it that the one day I needed my hair to look perfect it had to be the windiest day of the bloody year?

I was too focused on straightening my hair out and cursing the wind that I almost didn't notice Danny's arrival.

He walked up and sat down on the bench beside me. He took a deep breath, held it for a second and then released it before speaking. "Alright?" He said simply, not yet making eye contact with me. He just stared out at the field.

I nodded. "Yeah." I didn't know if I should keep looking at him or look away. His face wasn't showing any emotion that I could play off. "You?"

He just nodded silently. We sat there, the only sounds being made were of the people enjoying themselves around us. "Tom tells me you work in a bookstore."

I jumped, not expecting him to talk. "Uh, yeah. It's not that cool really but it's a job." I shrugged and looked up at him but he still had his eyes firmly set in front of him.

He only nodded in response.

My leg started to shake as my nerves began rising. Did he not see how hard this was for me? Of course he doesn't…he won't even look at me. I had to take a shaky breath and place my hands on my knee to keep it steady. "Tom said that you work for a record label."

I looked up at him once more and caught his eyes quickly shift away from me. "I work with upcoming artists, producing their songs."

"You were always really good at that." I whispered, trying my best to put on a calm smile.

Again, he only nodded.

My nerves were turning in to frustration at his reluctance to speak to me. I tried to think of something else to say to make conversation but all I could come up with was, "So, what else have you been up to?"

Abruptly, Danny stood up and turned to face me. His eyes were clouded with sadness. "I can't do this." He said then turned to leave.

I jumped up and grabbed hold of his coat sleeve. "Can't do what?" I had to dig my heels into the ground to stop him fully.

"This!" He exclaimed, pulling his arm away from me. He was facing me again, his body less than a foot away from mine. "I can't talk to you like we're all buddy buddy. Like things are okay again because they're not." He seemed to finally realize how close a proximity we were to each other and backed up a few steps, looking down at his feet. "I can't even look at you without being taken back to that day."

"I know you were hurt-"

"You don't get to talk about being hurt, Dougie." He said harshly.

"You don't think I hurt?" I demanded, a new found anger swelling up in me. I closed the gap between us and made him look me in the eyes. "Every day I hurt." I said sternly, staring straight into his wide eyes. "I lost my career and Tom, I work at a shit job that I don't even want and I lost you." My voice softened at the mention of him and his eyes reciprocated that same feeling. "I lost you over a mistake I didn't know I was doing at the time. I fucked up royally and I have paid for it everyday since then. I know you blame me for what happened but-"

"I don't blame you."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "What?"

"I never blamed you for what happened." He said louder this time.

I gaped at him. "You didn't?"

"I didn't even blame Harry. Well, I blamed him to an extent; he did pursue you." He turned away and started walking away, hands on his hips, he looked up to the sky and sighed before turning back to me. "Not a day goes by where I don't go over every aspect of what happened, through every scenario and everything said but in the end, it all comes back to me." He said and I could see he was fighting the urge to cry. "It all comes down to the fact that I let it happen. If I had just gone after you instead of picking a fight with Harry in that club, if I had only stayed on the bus and talked things out maybe…"

I made a move to go to him, to comfort him. Why hadn't Tom told me any of this? How could he let Danny go on feeling this way? All I cared about in that moment of holding him and making that despair leave his face. "Danny-"

"But then I thought that maybe it was meant to happen." I stopped in my tracks and he looked up at me, his face blank again. "Harry would have stopped at nothing till he had you so I think it was good for it to happen before we got to invested."

"What about now?" I asked, shrugging helplessly. "Can we get something back? Maybe even be friends again?"

He looked down again, shaking his head. "You were a part of the worst day of my life. I'm still not sure if friendship is even an option right now."

The lump in my throat was choking me, my eyes were starting to burn with tears awaiting to be shed. "Why are you doing this?" I questioned, my voice cracking as a sob tried to force it's way out but I refused to let him see me breakdown. "You ask me to come here to talk and now you say we can't even be friends!"

"I didn't want to come here." He said defensively. "I only did this meeting because Tom wanted me too. I didn't want to get your hopes up but Tom's my best friend and I would do anything for him. So, when he said I should talk to you, I figured, for all he's done for me, I owed him that much."

"So, that's it?" I asked, already knowing that answer that was to come.

He sighed. "For now." He shoved his hands in his pockets and walked away. "I'm sure I'll see you around."

I sank back down onto the bench, numb of all feeling. I didn't know how long I sat on that bench or how long I cried for but it didn't matter. Nothing seemed to matter to me anymore.


	20. Chapter 20

Six days passed since my disastrous meeting with Danny and I was still unwilling to leave my flat. I found it to even be a struggle to get out of bed half of the time. I ended up calling out of work for the week, feigning a stomach bug. I shut myself off from the world, just like I did when the band split…when Danny and I split.

How could I have been so stupid to think that he wanted to work things out? He didn't even want to be near me much less talk to me. What bothered me the most was that he said he didn't blame me. How could he not? I slept with my supposed best friend; Drunk or not, I deserved what I got and yet he didn't blame me.

I'd been lying in bed, still in the clothes I wore that day. I couldn't see the point in changing, I was too busy wallowing in self pity and that's when it dawned on me. I needed to stop letting this get to me and accept that Danny and I would never be_ Danny and I_ anymore and try and get back to the way my life was. I threw away four years of my life in an attempt to get over him, I couldn't let him take any more time from me.

I needed to start fresh all over again. I needed to rethink my future. But first, I needed a shower.

It was early afternoon when I stepped out of my bathroom, towel wrapped around my waist. I shuffled my way back to my room when I noticed my answering machine blinking persistently at me. I couldn't even remember the phone ringing.

I pressed down on the blinking button and tapped my foot as my messages played.

'_Dougie, it's Tom-' _Delete. I wasn't ready to talk with him yet.

The machine switched to the next message. Tom again. _'I know something happened with Da-'_ Delete.

'_Dougie, pick up. I know you're there-' _I rolled my eyes and deleted the message.

The next message played. _'I'm serious right now. Call me back.' _Tom's persistence was starting to aggravate me.

'_Douglas Poynter, where are you?' _My mum's voice filled the room. _'I haven't heard from you in over a week. Call me whe-' _I made a mental note to call her at some point. Maybe I'd even take a trip to see her. Get away for a while. I could use a vacation.

'_I'm going to keep calling until you pic-' _Again, Tom's voice entered my apartment. I hit the delete button. He really needed to get the hint.

'_Alright, if I don't hear from you by eight o'clock, I'm coming down there and kicking your door in. Call me….It's Tom, by the way.'_

I couldn't stop the smile from crossing my face as the machine beeped, signaling the end of my messages. Even when he was trying to be threatening, Tom always managed to make me laugh-even if it was unintentional.

I couldn't hide from Tom forever. I would eventually have to explain everything to him but until that day, I was content with hiding in my flat till the week came to an end.


	21. Chapter 21

**No reviews? No fans of chapter 20?  
That's depressing...but it's okay. I don't blame you. It was a bit of a dull chapter.  
Hopefully, this one makes up for it. :)**

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"You. Up. Now." Tom demanded pulling my covers off of my once slumbering body.

I rolled onto my back, rubbing sleep from my groggy eyes, trying to remember where I was and when I even fell asleep. I blinked twice and my eyes finally focused on Tom's stern face, his hands on his hips. "How did you get in here?" I asked, sitting up against my head board.

"Do you not listen to your messages?" He asked and sat down on bed besides me. "Because I specifically said I was going to kick your door down if I didn't hear from you."

"Tell me you didn't kick my door down!" I exclaimed.

Tom rolled his eyes. "Of course, I didn't!" He lied down, resting his back on the head board beside me. "You really shouldn't leave your spare key in such an obvious spot, by the way."

"What do you want?"

He shrugged. "For someone to talk to me." He rolled onto his side and placed his chin on my shoulder. "Now, tell me what happened."

I shrugged him off and crossed my arms over my chest. "Why don't you ask Danny?"

"Can't." He said simply. "He packed up and disappeared to Bolton for the week. Was gone by the time I got home."

"It doesn't matter." I mumbled, looking away from him.

"Did he do something? Say something?"

I looked up at the ceiling, trying my best not to let tears well up in them. "He said he couldn't talk to me and that he didn't think we could be friends." I spoke quickly, feeling my throat tighten and my heart clench.

Tom's hand covered mine and he gave it a gentle squeeze. "It's the first time you two have been alone together. It was bound to be emotional." He said, sounding like the father figure he was known to be. "I think he just got a little overwhelmed. At least he made the attempt to talk, that's something, eh?"

"He didn't want to." I snapped, pulling my hand away from his. "You told him to talk to me."

"I didn't hold a gun to his head or force him into anything." He said calmly and reasonably. "I merely made the suggestion. The fact that he actually did it was a surprise to me."

I looked down at my hands and whispered. "He said he blames himself."

"For what?"

"What happened with Harry." I said. "He said if he'd just stayed on the bus with me then none of this would have happened." I swallowed and sniffed. "Then he said he was happy it happened before we got too involved."

Tom was silent for a moment and then said something I wasn't expecting him to say. "It's clear that he still cares about you, Dougie."

I looked at him curiously. "How so?"

"He never told me any of that." He said. "Whenever we used to talk about that night he would just mumble about Harry and drop it. The fact that he actually made the effort to see you and tell that just shows he still feels something. Don't you see what he was trying to do?" He asked, sitting up fully on the bed and angling himself so he was looking me in the eyes. "He doesn't want to you to feel guilty. He'd rather feel the guilt of it than you."

I sighed and flopped my head back against the head board. "You don't know that, Tom."

"But it's got you smiling." He said slyly, poking my cheek with a smirk.

I furrowed my eyebrows and brought my hand up to my lips, tracing the small smile that was on my face. I didn't even feel happy so how could I be smiling. I look at my blonde haired friend and decided that his wide dimpled smile must have been contagious.

"Now, will you please come out of hiding?" He asked, sliding off my bed and stretching.

I smiled fully and nodded. "Okay."

He clapped his hands once and held out his hand to me to help me up. "That's my Dougie." He said, pulling me to my feet with ease. "So, what do you want to do? I'm bored."

I looked around at my room and noticed that I was wearing the only clean piece of clothing I owned and that was only an old McFly t-shirt and some sweatpants. Not exactly clubbing attire. "We could order in and watch some movies." I said finally.

Tom chuckled and pat my on the back. "Sounds good to me but on one condition."

"What?"

"You never leave me in the dark like that again." He said seriously. "You're my best friend, Doug. I don't want you to ever feel like you can't talk to me."

I smiled and looped my arm through Tom's, leading him into the living room. "Deal."


	22. Chapter 22

**Such lovely comments! You guys are awesome. 3**

**Okay, so I decided to do something a little different with this chapter. Instead of the normal narrative of being from Dougie's POV. This chapter will be from Danny's perspective.  
This is a way for people to get a glimpse of what is going on in Danny's mind about this whole Dougie situation.**

**There will be a few more of these special chapters throughout the rest of the story as the plot progresses and feelings start reaching their boiling point.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"_I don't know what to think and, quite frankly, I can't even bare the sight of you or him right now." Danny shook his head and turned away from Dougie's distressed form. "I'm going to have a drink and think this over. I don't want to see you until I'm ready."_

Danny rolled onto his back, his head twisting back and forth as he slept restlessly in his bed. He hadn't been sleeping well since his meeting with Dougie. Every where he looked, he saw Dougie's face. He could hear his voice in the crowd as he walked to work. He even heard Silence is a Scary Sound play on the radio when he was at work.

He had to get away. So, he called out of work for the week, packed up and drove up to Bolton to visit his family. His mother was very happy to see her son after so long and insisted that he stay with her in his old bedroom instead of getting a hotel.

He enjoyed spending time with his mom, catching up on what she had been up to and how his job was coming along then the conversation turned to how Tom was and eventually into talking about Dougie.

Danny's mom knew all about his relationship and break up with Dougie. When Danny showed up at her door that early morning with tears streaming down his face and he told her the story of the fight in the club with Harry and coming home to find Dougie in Harry's bedroom, she nursed his broken heart until he was his old self again…well, a shell of his old self. She was never fully convinced that he had recovered. There was something missing in his eyes when he smiled and his laugh was duller.

Danny had told her how Tom had reconnected with Dougie and suggested that Danny give him a chance. She was proud of her son for letting Dougie back in, even if it was only for a short time. Danny didn't say much to her after that. He was lost in his thoughts again and she let him be, wishing him sweet dreams as he headed off to bed.

Danny rolled onto his side, curling into a tight ball and tucking his chin in his chest as visions of that unforgettable day flooded his dreams.

_Tom struggled to keep his keys from falling out of his hand as he tried to unlock the front door to their home while trying to keep a drunk and angry Danny from falling over._

_Danny was swaying from foot to foot, staring at the lock of the door with the kind of intensity that one would think he was trying to melt the metal with his mind. He waited and watched as Tom slipped the key into the lock. He wanted to get inside that house, he wanted to punch, kick…kill Harry but he really wanted to talk to Dougie. _

_He felt terrible for how he acted on the bus and never meant to hurt Dougie the way he did. It wasn't his fault that Harry pushed himself on him and Danny shouldn't have let his jealousy get the better of him._

_Tom turned the door knob and before he could get the door half way open, Danny pushed himself inside and began to search the bottom floor of the house for any sign of his boyfriend. "Dougie!" He called, walking from the living room, past Tom, who was taking his shoes off in the main room, and into the dinning room. "Dougie!" He called again, his voice drifting into the kitchen._

_Tom hung up his jacket and stood by the door as Danny came storming down the hall alone. "Where is he?" He asked, hands on his hips._

_Tom shrugged, shutting the door once more. "I figured he would have come home but he could be anywhere."_

_Danny growled in frustration and ran a hand through his curly hair. He looked around helplessly and then up the staircase as a low thump sounded from one of the rooms._

_Danny wasted no time, tearing up the stairs two at a time and looked down both ends of the hall from the landing. Tom was making his way up behind him, watching Danny cautiously. He knew that if Danny found Harry first, he would need to be there to break up any fight that was bound to occur._

_Another thump echoed down the hallway to Danny's left and he made his way down, tiptoeing as he went so he could see who it was. He was able to hear more movement as he approached the door that led to Harry's room. He hands curled into tight balls. His anger rising as he neared the drummer's door._

_He stood in front of the door, his mind racing with ideas of how he would handle his confrontation with Harry. Would he just go off the handle and hit him or should he be rational and try and talk things out? No, the time for talking was done._

_Danny nodded, satisfied with his plan of attack and reached out for the door handle but something stopped his dead in his tracks. There was giggling coming from the other side of the door. He could hear Harry's muffled voice speaking to someone and then the soft moans from another, gentler voice._

_Danny's heart clenched and his hand dropped to his side, his whole body becoming numb. _

_It was Dougie's voice._

_He was vaguely aware of Tom standing behind him and he knew that he was hearing everything that Danny was too. He turned and walked away, brushing off Tom's hand as his friend tried to talk him into staying to talk but Danny didn't-couldn't-hear anything. His heart was pounding in his chest and ears. He felt his breath catch in his throat as he fought back a sob, tears welling up in his eyes, making his trek down the stairs difficult._

_He didn't stop to look back at his worried friend as Tom begged for him to stop and talk. Saying that it may not be what he thought but Danny knew. He was too late. Dougie had moved on and Harry had won. _

_He grabbed his coat off the rack when he reached the bottom of the stairs and walked out the front door, determined never to return there again._

The sound of the door snapping shut rang in Danny's head as he sat up in bed, looking around his dark room. Once he was sure that he was safely in his Bolton bedroom, he laid back down and sighed, wiping sweat away from his forehead.

He hadn't dreamt of that day in a long time. He worked very hard to keep that particular memory from surfacing but it was hard not to think about it when Dougie seemed to be the only thing on his mind the past few days.

He would be lying if he said that he wasn't over Dougie. He loved Dougie more than he thought was possible and it made him feel anxious and nervous when he was around him. It was like they had just met for the first time. Danny was unsure what to say to him, how to act around him, he couldn't think of things to say. His mind would go all fuzzy looking at the beautiful man that Dougie had become.

He told Dougie that it was all Tom's idea for him to meet and talk with Dougie but that was a lie. Danny had asked Tom about it and agreed upon Tom's encouragement but being in such a close proximity to the man he loved, to hear about the pain that he went through over Danny's childish mistake made him question even trying to patch things up.

Dougie didn't deserve to relive that night just as much as Danny didn't deserve it. Dougie made a mistake and Danny never once blamed him for it. He was drunk and hurt but Danny drove him to it. He told Dougie that he didn't want to see him, that Harry would get him in the end.

He should have stayed on the bus. He should have protected Dougie…but he didn't and he lost him because of it.

Reaching over to his bedside table, Danny grabbed his phone and looked through his phone book till he came upon Dougie's name.

Should he call to apologize? Should be explain himself for walking away? He did want a relationship with Dougie, not a friendship. He wanted Dougie to be his and only his. He wanted to come home from work to find Dougie there, waiting for him. To have him be the last thing he saw when he went to sleep and the first thing he saw when he woke up but then he thought about how he, again, let his temper get the best of him.

He walked away from Dougie for the second time. What made him think that Dougie would even want to talk to him?

With a defeated sigh, he exited out of his contact list and placed his phone back on the table before rolling over and trying to fall back asleep.


	23. Chapter 23

An entire week passed without a word from Danny. Tom had tried to call him a few times through out the week with no luck. I was beginning to think he would never return.

Tom did what he could to keep my mind off of my meeting with Danny and went out of his way to spend as much time with me as possible. He even agreed to come with me to the club that Aaron's band was going to be performing in.

"Geeze!" I exclaimed, squinting my eyes over the crowd of people, trying to find the stage as we entered to club. "This place is packed!"

Tom nodded and kept his hand on the sleeve of my shirt as we navigated our way to a free corner, trying our best not to be trampled or lose each other in the throngs of people. "What time is your friend up?" He asked, yelling over the thumping music of the band that was on stage already.

I looked over my shoulder to see Tom looking around nervously. He was a mystery to me sometimes, really. He was one of the best entertainers I knew. He could perform, on a stage, in front of thousands of fans without batting an eyelash but being inside a crowd of people made him incredibly uncomfortable. I reached up and put my hand on over his own that was still clutching onto my sleeve, making him focus on me rather than all the people. "8:15 the flyer said." I answered, giving me a reassuring smile.

Tom smiled back and then checked his watch. "Good." He said with a sigh of relief. It was a little after eight already which meant he wouldn't have to wait long. "We've got time to get a drink." He said, almost more as a question than a suggestion.

I nodded and made my way through the crowd, Tom still clutching to my sleeve. The girl behind the bar was swamped with patrons and it took a few minutes for me to get mt drink order in. Tom sat on the bar stool and kept his head down, sipping his vodka slowly, his nerves easing off with every swallow.

I was just finishing off my pint when a figure approached me quickly from my left side. I looked over and smiled as Anna approached me, wearing an equally bright grin. "Dougie! You made it!" She yelled over the music, giving me a warm hug.

"I said I would!" I said, pulling back and swiveling in my stood a bit to reveal my blonde best friend. "Anna, this is my friend Tom."

Anna gave a shy smile and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before holding out her hand. "I recognized you." She admitted with a giggle. "Nice to meet you."

Tom smiled and shook her hand, "Same here." He laughed softly as she tried to hide her pink cheeks.

She quickly turned away from Tom and cleared her throat, bring her attention back to me. "Oh, Dougie. You should stay behind after the show and meet the band." She suggested. "I'm sure Aaron would love to see you. Tom, you're more than welcome to come along too." She added, looking back over at Tom briefly before looking back to me.

I looked to Tom, who nodded in agreement and I found myself nodded back. "Yeah, sure."

"Wicked!" She clapped her hands in excitement and then checked her watch with a gasp. "They're going on soon! I'll see you after then!" She called, pushing her way back through the crowd, towards the backstage area.

Tom appeared next to me, watching to girl until she was engulfed in crowd. "She's cute." He commented, taking the final shot of his vodka.

I turned and looked at him with wide eyes. He wasn't suggesting what I think he was suggestion…

Tom seemed to know what was going through my head and he chuckled, patting me on the back. "What? I can look as long as I don't touch."

"Come on," I said with a roll of the eyes. "let's find a spot closer to the stage."

Tom kept his arm around my shoulder as we weaved through the people. Tom and I continued to chat idly when Tom slowed down and his eyes widened in surprise. "Danny!" He yelled, stepping away from me and grabbing the brunette before he could disappear. "What are you doing here?"

Danny seemed just as surprised to see Tom standing in front of him as we were. He sent a quick glance my way but looked away, fidgeting nervously under my stunned gaze. "I'm here with some people from work," He said, shrugging nonchalantly. "Checking out some potential clients."

"When did you get back?" Tom asked, still oblivious to how comfortable Danny and I were being this close to each other.

"A few hours ago." He said, glancing at me once more. I furrowed my eyebrows and stared at the man. He was acting weird, weirder than normal. "You were already gone when I got to the flat."

Tom shrugged and gestured over to me. "I spent the night at Dougie's."

Danny looked at me once more and I gasped as his brilliant blue eyes shined in the ultraviolet lights from the stage. He didn't look angry or annoyed that I was there. In fact, he looked sad to be looking at me; like there was something he wanted to say but couldn't. "Right." He asked at normal volume but sounded like a whisper compared to the noise around us. He looked back at Tom once more and coughed, another nervous habit of his. "Well, I better get back before the next act starts."

Tom nodded and waved him off. "We'll talk later." He said, in the kind of tone that meant it wasn't going to be a casual conversation. They had much to discuss. Once Danny was gone Tom took hold of my hand and squeezed it, pulling me along and forcing me to leave the moment behind. "Come on."

We found a spot a few rows back from the stage just as Anna approached the microphone. The band from before were clearing out the last of their equipment and Anna clapped along with the crowd as the group waved goodbye. The crowd settled down apart from the drunks in the back that yelled out cat calls and whistled at Anna as she took the microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, please give it up for The Cult of Skaro!" She announced and instantly the lights went down, the stage drowned in darkness.

The music started in a slow, dark rhythm. The guitar strummed out a soft melody and the out of the darkness, the singer began and they were good. I turned to Tom to see he was nodding along to the melody, his eyes closed as he took in the words of the song.

The lights slowly began to rise and the singer was revealed in a ray of white light. My eyes widened and my breath caught in my chest. Aaron stood at the microphone, his eyes closed as he sung but I couldn't hear a word that was leaving his lips.

Aaron had grown up since that day in the audition room. His hair was still a shiny brown but was no longer spiky rather now grown out a bit and hung shaggy just above his eyes. He was a little taller but he had filled out nicely. His tight white t-shirt revealed the outline of his broad chest and tight stomach, the muscles in his arms flexed and expanded as his hands glided across his bass.

The music thumped in my chest as I became mesmerized by the man on that stage. He looked out over the crowd, his eyes sparkling with excitement as the song began to pick up and the lights grew brighter, the rest of the band becoming visible.

Tom gripped my arm tightly. We were both looking at the same spot. Just beyond Aaron's shoulder. At the drummer. "Is that-"

I nodded, my eyes now hard as stone. "Harry."


	24. Chapter 24

**Here is a special two adds in one chapter! (yay!)  
The first half will be the typical Dougie POV while part two will take place from Tom's perspective.**

**Enjoy!**

And to WelshJewel: Yes, the band's name (Cult of Skaro) is from Doctor Who. I couldn't think of anything good for the band's name and since I love Doctor Who, I went with that. I meant to put a disclaimer about that in the chapter but forgot. I'm happy to see someone caught that! :)

It felt like an eternity before the concert ended. My head was swimming with so many thoughts, I felt like I was suffocating. Why was it that whenever I was in a good place in my life once again, did Harry have to show his face? He was a constant reminder to me that my life would never be normal.

I watched him closely throughout the set. It was clear that he hadn't lost his passion for drumming. He never made eye contact with the audience and kept his focus on what he was playing, his eyes closed as he let to music guide his movements.

I looked over to see Tom staring hard at the dark haired man at the drum kit. He hadn't seen Harry since that near run in at my apartment building. He kept his face void of emotion and simply nodded along to music, though I doubted he was listening to it clearly.

When the set was over, the band thanked the crowd and made their way off the stage to a deafening round of applaud. We applauded along with everyone else and I began to make our way through the crowd towards the stage door when I felt resistance on my sleeve. "What are you doing?" Tom asked, looking at me wide eyed.

"Anna invited us backstage." I replied, nonchalantly before turning back around.

Tom sighed and pulled on my sleeve again, bringing my attention back to him. "Dougie, do you think that is a wise thing to do with Harry being there?" His eyes conveyed his concern for me and I couldn't help but smile warmly at him.

"I'm okay, Tom." I reassured him. "Nothing says I have to talk to him and if he approaches me then…" I bit my lip, trying to think of what I would do if Harry did, in fact, come near me. A small smile spread on my lips and I through my arm around Tom's shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. "If he approaches me then I've got you to help me out."

Tom rolled his eyes but didn't say anything in response and let me guide him to the backstage door, where Anna was standing, smiling and chatting with new found fans; all clamoring to get a chance to meet the boys.

Anna was just finishing explaining that the boys were very busy to see any fans at the moment but instantly smiled and waved when she noticed Tom and I approaching. "Hey guys!" She beamed, stepping aside and holding the door open for us. "The guys are in the first green room on your left." She said as she tried to hold back the pack that attempted to push in behind us.

The sounds of the people complaining about us getting to go backstage were immediately drowned out once the door was shut. I straightened my hair the best I could, frowning as I felt the front of the hair was slightly wet from the sweat that was collecting on my forehead. _It was hot in the club, this has nothing to do with nerves. _I reasoned with my mind and took a deep, calming breath.

Tom cleared his throat and stepped up to the door and knocked twice before taking a step back so he was standing beside me once more.

Footsteps and muffled voices were all we heard before the door creaked open and my eyes widened at a shirtless Aaron. He leaned his arm on the doorframe and smiled, a guitar pick in between his teeth. His ice blue eyes shining brilliantly behind strands of his sweat soaked hair that was plastered on to his face.

My eyes couldn't stop themselves from traveling down his glistening body. The man was an Adonis. Every muscle was defined to perfection, accentuated by the beads of sweat that clung to him. I forced myself to look away before it became too obvious and meet, the still grinning, man's eyes.

He stood up straight and stuck his hand out to Tom. "Nice to meet you. I'm Aaron." He said, taking Tom's hand in his and shaking it firmly.

Even Tom seemed lost for words for a moment and stammered out a vague greeting of "I..I'm, uh, T-Tom." before taking his hand back and looking at it as if it were about to turn to gold.

"Of course I know who you are! You're a legend." Aaron then turned to me and pulled me into a tight hug, chuckling lightly as he patted my back. "Good to see you again, Dougie." I felt my eyes roll into the back of my head as his scent assaulted my senses. He smelt like a wonderful mixture of spices, both natural and chemical, that I couldn't place. "Look at you." He said, holding me at arm's length. "You've sure have grown up from the last time I saw you." I became a stumbling mess as he kept an arm around my shoulder and led me and Tom into the band's dressing room.

"Dougie, Tom, these are my band mates." He gestured to two men sitting on the sofa in the far right hand corner, playing on an Xbox. "That's Weston, our lead guitarist and vocalist." He pointed to a handsome tanned Asian man. He glanced over and smiled in greeting before going back to his heated match. "And that is Charlie." He pointed to the man battling with Weston. He was just as built as Aaron but with fair Irish skin and flaming red hair. "He's our other guitarist."

" 'Ello" Charlie said, jamming his thumbs rapidly into the buttons of the controller before throwing it down and letting out a victory yell. "I told ya, ya wouldn't beat me, mate." His thick Irish accent filling the room.

Weston set his controller down calmly and sat back, pensively, though his dark brown eyes were a blaze with anger. "I didn't like that game anyways." He claimed.

Aaron smiled and shook his head before looking over at us with a shy smile. "Sorry, we must look like such horrible hosts. Have a seat wherever." He gestured towards the unoccupied couch across from the one Weston and Charlie were seated in or the chair beside it. "Make yourselves at home." He smiled, walking over to his duffle bag and pulling out a plain black t-shirt and throwing on.

"Can I get you guys anything to drink?" Weston asked, walking over to the mini fridge next to the T.V.

"I'll take a Guinness, if you've got it." Tom said.

"Just water for me." I smiled, having a funny feeling that I would be the designated driver by the end of the night.

Weston threw the can of beer to Tom and a bottle of water over to me, then another can of Guinness over to Aaron, who caught it effortlessly then sat down in the open chair. "So, what did you guys think of the songs?" He asked, leaning forward, genuinely excited to see what we thought.

I nodded, swallowing the water I had in my mouth quickly. "You guys were awesome." I said, looking at each of them. "The songs were really catchy."

"You guys have really good chemistry too, for being together for such a short time." Tom chiming in. "I remember when McFly started up, we had no idea what we were doing."

"Harry said the same thing just the other day." Charlie said, setting his finished can of beer down on the end table beside him.

I involuntarily stiffened at the mention of the missing drummer. "Where is Harry?" I found myself asking, wondering how much time I had before it was too late to run for it.

"He went to go find some security to help Anna out." Weston said. "She's insane for thinking she could handle that crowd on her own."

Charlie grumbled, pouting his lips and getting up to get another can of beer, muttering about her being stubborn.

Aaron leaned in and whispered with an amused smile. "Anna is Charlie's girlfriend. He's not too thrilled with her out there on her own but Anna's the kind of girl who does what she wants when she wants."

I smiled and looked around, feeling unnaturally hot under Aaron's eyes, when my eyes feel upon the bass that Aaron had used during the show. "Is that a Hofner?" I gasped, getting up and walking over to the pristine guitar.

I felt Aaron close behind me. "She's a beauty, huh?" He said, walking around me and taking it off it's stand. "I've been saving for years to get one of these. Here." He said, holding it out to me.

I licked my lips in anticipation. Hofner basses were one of the best basses you could possibly own. I didn't even have one when I was in McFly. I took the instrument in my hands, admiring the smooth wood finish under my fingertips. I looked up into Aaron's shining eyes and felt a blush creep over my cheek and I turned my attention back to the guitar.

Tom silently observed Dougie and Aaron in the corner of the room, looking at one of Aaron's basses and smiled as Dougie's cheeks turned a faint shade of pink while Aaron stood in front of his, smiling charmingly at the young blonde.

They looked cute together, he had to admit but he couldn't help but feel a little bit of protectiveness for his young friend. Dougie had been through a lot with Danny and Harry and, while Dougie was making improvements in his life, he didn't want Dougie to jump into anything before he settled things fully with Danny.

Tom was so absorbed with watching Dougie and Aaron interact that he didn't notice someone taking a seat beside him on the couch. It wasn't until he heard the snap of a beer can opening did he look over to find Harry sitting there. "Quite a pair they would make, huh?" He said, sipping his drink, watching Tom's with intrigued eyes.

Tom's eyes hardened and he sat with his back to Dougie, looking straight ahead. "You have some nerve, Harry." He said in a hostile whisper.

"I beg your pardon?" Harry question with an indication that he was offended by Tom's statement.

Tom's looked at his former friend and scowled. "Why can't you just let Dougie be happy?" He asked, shifting so that he was facing the drummer properly. "Just when he had finally forgotten about you and was moving on, you pop up once again. How could be so selfish?" He spat, glancing over to make sure Dougie hadn't noticed Harry's arrival yet. Sure enough, he was completely absorbed in his conversation with Aaron.

Harry looked hurt by Tom's word and looked down at his can of beer, suddenly interested to see if he could get his fingers to intertwine around the can. "Look Tom, I know I haven't given you much reason to trust me but I've done a lot of growing up since our band days and I swear to you, I had no idea you or Dougie were going to be here tonight."

Tom narrowed his eye but didn't respond.

"Dougie made it perfectly clear to me the last time I tried to apologize to him that he wanted nothing to do with me in his life. I accepted that and decided to get on with my life." Harry explain, the entire time keeping direct eye contact with Tom. His eyes were sincere and he spoke with an honesty that Tom never heard from him before. "When I read about the band auditions, I thought 'Great! Here's my shot to get back into to what I love'. If I had known Aaron had any connection with Dougie, I would have backed off."

Tom shook his head, still looking skeptical. "But Aaron invited us backstage. You must have known we were coming."

"He never mentioned names." Harry said, making sure to keep his voice down so none of the others heard their conversation. "All he said was that an old friend was coming to see him after the show."

"Tom?" Dougie's small voice sounded behind him.

Tom looked over to see Dougie frozen in place behind him, his eyes planted on his shoes. His hands were playing with the hem on his t-shirt. All the confidence he had while talking with Aaron was gone now that he was aware of Harry's presence.

Tom sighed and stood. "You ready to go?" He asked, putting an arm around the smaller boy's shoulders.

Dougie nodded silently, still fascinated with his shoes.

They made their rounds, saying goodbye to the band and Anna, who managed to slip in once security took care of the crowds. Tom went over and held his hand out the Harry.

Harry was wary at first, looking as if there was a catch to it but placed his hand in Tom's none the less. Tom shook his hand and nodded. "I believe you" was all Tom said, taking Harry's words to heart and finding that he thought that Harry was telling him the truth. He respected Harry for being honest with him and could see that he had grown up considerable from the arrogant boy he used to be.

Dougie waved goodbye to the band, skipping Harry, and then received a strong hug from Aaron and promise that they would meet up again soon.

Dougie nodded and looked away, trying to the hide the blush that was growing redder and redder by the second.

Tom smirked and took Dougie's hand and dragged him out of the room before he embarrassed himself.


	25. Chapter 25

"Who do you keep texting?"

My eyes flicked up from the screen of my cell phone and smirked at Tom's annoyed face. He had been trying to tell some story about a rowdy customer he had that day but I wasn't paying any attention to him. My focus remained on the other conversation I was having on my phone.

Aaron and I had been texting each other none stop since we said goodbye that night in the club. It had only been three days but I felt like I knew him better than I did Tom. He was so open and kind, he made me laugh till tears welled up in my eyes. He made me feel human again.

I cleared my throat and flipped my phone shut, tucking it into my back pocket to show Tom that he had my undivided attention from that point on. He looked at me expectantly, crossing his arms over his chest as he slumped down in the chair. "Well, who was it?"

I began to play with a my jeans, dragging my nail down the length of my leg, making a trail in the fabric. "I was just sending Aaron a reply." I said, casually, lifting my gaze back to my friend, waiting to see what his reaction would be.

Tom's eyebrows arched in surprise and he sat up straighter, his chocolate brown eyes a light with interest. "Aaron, eh?" He said with a smirk. "How long has this been going on?"

"Since Saturday night." I said, feeling my cheeks warm under Tom's scandalous stare. "He sort of asked me out on a date."

Tom gave an uncharacteristic high pitched squeal and bounced a few inches out of his seat. "What did you say? Are you going?"

I smiled and shook my head, hiding my now bright red face behind my knees.

Tom's body pressed me down into the sofa as he jumped on top of me, cheering and yelling as we laughed and wrestled on the couch.

Tom seemed to have an endless list of questions for me about Aaron and my pending date with him. It made me feel so much more confident about my decision to go out with Aaron knowing that Tom supported me, regardless of my awkward situation with Danny.

Eventually, once Tom was satisfied with my answers, he stood up and told me that he had to go and pick Giovanna up from work. I opted to stay at his place while he was gone, knowing that he wouldn't be gone long and I could get in a few messages to Aaron without Tom's prying eyes on me.

With every buzz of my phone, my heart gave a little leap. It was the first time, in a long time, that I felt so excited about something…so alive.

I bit my lip as I read Aaron's last message, trying to think of a clever reply to send back when the door to the flat creaked open and the sound of someone grumbling filled the empty space. I froze as I heard the sound of movement come closer to me, my eyes glued to the hallway as my heart raced in my chest.

"You will not believe the day I've had today." Danny's angry voice sounded. "I've never been this close to quitting in my-oh." He paused as he emerged from the hallway and our eyes met. Danny's hands went straight into his pockets, his shoulders tensing as he looked around the room, trying his best to keep his eyes off of me. "Where's Tom?"

I sat up straighter, rubbing sweat off my palm onto my jeans. "He went to go pick Giovanna up from work. He'll be back soon."

"Good." And with that, Danny walked into the kitchen.

I sat there for a moment, staring at the spot he once stood in, unsure if I should leave or wait for Tom's return though before I could make a decision, Danny reappeared with a can of beer in hand. He paid me no mind as he walked across the room towards his bedroom.

I felt my chest constrict as he walked away and before I knew what was happening, I found myself rushing out of my chair, hand raising up to grab him even though he was still a room's length away from me. "Danny, wait." I said, my eyes bulging as my voice sounded in my ears.

Danny froze for a moment-as did my heart-and seem to be in a debate with himself. He swayed in place, his grip on his can tightening, ever so slightly. I was beginning to think he was going to pass out until he slowly turned and our eyes locked for the first real time since our meeting in the park.

A wave of shyness swept over me as his wary gaze penetrated me. I felt the surge of confidence leave me and I became unsure as to what I was meant to say. All thoughts vanished from my brain and I struggled to get to form through my dried up throat. "Um…" I murmured, shifting from foot to foot. "P-please don't go." I whispered.

"What?" Danny asked, sounding more uncertain than angry.

I licked my lips and swallowed what little saliva I had left in my mouth. "Don't leave because of me." I said more clearer but not as steady as I had hoped. "I know things are still weird between us but can't we at least _try_ to be in the same room as each other?"

Danny blinked twice and nodded his head slowly before taking a sit down in the chair that Tom was sitting in previously. He cracked open his drink and took a sip as I settled back into my seat and silence fell over us.

Danny seemed rather reluctant to say anything, though he occasionally looked my way from over the top of her beer can.

"So," I said, clearing my throat. "What happened at work to make you so upset?"

He shrugged, watching his finger as it looped around the can's lid. "You don't want to know." He said, matter-of-factly.

"I wouldn't have asked then." I retorted, watching him with a new found curiosity.

His finger ceased it rhythmic movement and his eyes rose to meet mine once more. He stared, challenging me to see if I would break but I held firm, wanting to know what had mad him so mad. When he decided that I wasn't going to back down and sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "We signed a new band today. That Cult of Skaro group from the club last weekend."

My heart leapt at the mention of Aaron's group. He got signed! But why would that have been such a bad thing? Then, Harry's face filled my mind and I shook my head in understanding. "Oh. I see."

"Yeah." He mumbled bitterly, sipping his beer again. "My bosses thought it would be a good idea to have me produce their album. Now, I get to be stuck in a studio for the next two months with Judd." He scoffed and downed the rest of his beer in one large gulp then crushed the can in his fist.

"Look on the bright side, though." I began, receiving an incredulous look from the brunette across from me.

"What bright side?"

I smirked and gave a little shrug. "For the next two months, he's got to do everything you say. You pretty much control his career now."

Danny's face lit up with a brilliant smile at that comment and he let out a light laugh that made butterflies erupt in my stomach. "I do, don't I?" He asked through his infectious laughter. He rubbed the back of his neck then laid his head back on the chair. "I guess there is something good that came out of today."

We looked at each other once more but there was a different stare than the ones we had shared recently. There was no awkwardness, no uncertainty, no malice or angry. His soft blue eyes looked at him as if I was an old friend and I found myself smiling from ear to ear at the beautiful man in front of me.

The corner of his lips curled up into a smirk as his shoulder began to shake with a new round of giggles. I found myself laughing along with him.

Our laughter only subsided when the front door clicked open and Tom's head poked around the corner, glancing from Danny, who was wiping tears from his eyes, to me as I tried to hold back more giggles only to look at Danny and burst into laughter once more, Danny breaking down and joining me seconds later.


	26. Chapter 26

I still had an hour before I was set to meet Aaron for our date but my nerves were already shot. I hadn't been this nervous about something since my meeting with Danny. I had tore my room apart in an effort to find something decent to wear out.

I hadn't admitted to anyone, not even Tom, but this was the first actual date I would be going on since my days in McFly so I was a little rusty as to the dress code. Aaron had said that we were going to keep things casual since we agreed to take things slow and to dress like I was going out with one of the guys but Aaron wasn't just one of the guys. He was potentially something more.

I, finally, settled on a pair of black skinny jean, a blue button down and a some black converse. I glanced at myself only once before I left my apartment, nodding in approval at my clean wardrobe and ruffled my hair up before flipping my lights off and heading out.

The wind kicked up sending a chill down my spine and making me wish I had grabbed my jacket before I left. Aaron was already waiting for me when I strolled up to the restaurant. He smiled broadly and gave a small wave before mimicking me and sticking his hands in his pockets. "Hey." He said, his teeth clattering slightly.

I gave him a shaky smile and let out my held breath that appeared in a puff of smoke in front of me. "Sorry if you were waiting long." I said apologetically.

"Eh, I was only here a few minutes." He said, shrugging it off. "Shall we head in?" He asked, stepping aside for me to enter the restaurant first.

I smiled bashfully and slipping inside, tensing slightly as I felt his hand on the small of my back as he guided us over to our table.

Aaron was the perfect gentleman throughout our meal. He kept the conversation light and flowing without interruption and yet, he kept silent and listened intently when I had something to say. He told me a lot about his childhood and his rough upbringing and I found myself empathizing with him, having shared some of his heartaches as well.

When the topic shifted to his band, Aaron's whole demeanor changed. He looked positively giddy in his chair as he talked about the songs that they had planned and the hours they were going to spend in the studio recording. I couldn't stop myself from smiling as he waved his hands about animatedly, telling me about his first time in the studio. It reminded me of the excitement I felt back in the McFly days.

I watched Aaron's eye shining brightly in the dim lighting of the room, his love and enthusiasm for his music shone through him like a firework against the night sky but it wasn't Aaron's eyes that entranced me so; it was how much they reminded me of Danny's.

There were nights that I would be lying in bed in some hotel room, looking across at Danny as he strummed at his guitar and scribbled down lyrics and notes. His brilliant blue eyes sparkled with every lyric he sang and every note he played. There were days that I wished I didn't have to leave that hotel room and just stare at him all day.

"Dougie?" I blinked and the memories vanished, leaving me staring blankly at Aaron, my date, who was watching me with mild curiosity. "You okay? Looked like you blanked out on me." He smiled at the end to show that he wasn't offended but I couldn't stop my face from heating up in an embarrassed blush.

I should haven't have been thinking of Danny when I was on a date with another guy. A decent guy. A hot, decent guy. I nodded and felt my face grow redder by the second. "Sorry. I was just remembering how I felt the same way when I was in McFly." It wasn't the truth but it technically wasn't a lie either.

He nodded and sat back in his chair, pulling his wallet out. "So, did you want to come back to my place?" He asked, throwing some money down on the table. "Nothing weird or anything." He continued with a chuckle when he saw the wide eyed look on my face. "Just come and hang out. Nothing more."

After a moment of thought, I agreed to go with him on the condition that it was just us hanging out. Nothing more.

The elevator doors opened to reveal Aaron's studio loft that the record label had put him up in. The whole floor was hardwood with area rugs in the living and bedroom area. There was a kitchen to our right with a small table set up for meals. The walls were brick with three windows stretching across to a balcony door that revealed a killer view of London's nightlife.

Aaron stepped into the room and flipped the lights on as he slid his jacket off. "Uh, make yourself at home." He said, taking my jacket from me as I looked around at the various pictures he had on his wall. "There's a bathroom right the hallway and the fridge is full." He said, hanging our jackets up on a coat rack by his dresser. "I just have to call Weston real quick and remind him of our meeting tomorrow." He said, looking at me as if he was asking my permission. "You don't mind, do you?"

"Yeah. No worries." I said, my eyes drifting from the picture adorned wall to the row of basses that rested beside the television. I was drawn to the brilliant instrument like a moth to a flame, my hand reaching out and gliding along the polished wooden finish. I couldn't stop the itching feeling in my gut to pick it up and play. It had been nearly three years since I had played my bass, which now laid, tucked away, in the back of my closet, under an inch of dust.

My fingers wrapped around the neck and lifted the bass off of it's stand, settling it in my arms, my hands naturally falling into place. I strummed a few cords, wincing as the sound was nowhere close to how it used to sound.

"I had a feeling you wouldn't be able to resist." Aaron's voice startled me, causing me to jump. He was standing right behind, close enough that I could feel his breath on the back of my neck.

I laughed nervously, sweat developing on my palms. "It's been a while." I said, my voice wavering as I felt him move closer to me, heat rising between us instantly. "I'm just a little rusty."

Out of my peripheral, I saw Aaron's face lean in, his chin resting on my shoulder while his arms wrapping around me, his hands grasping mine lightly. "You just need a little practice, is all." He said, making me quivering when his body pressed flush against mine.

His fingers mirrored mine as he positioned them on the correct strings, his other hand guiding me along as we played together. As one.

I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and just let everything go. My head was swimming with so many thoughts and feelings. It felt so good to play again-whether it was on my own or with assistance. Music was my only release in life; my little way of making the world okay again.

When I lost the band…when I lost Danny…music was never the same. All it did for me was cause me to remember the memories that once brought me such joy. The times when we would all sit in the living room of our home and watch movies, the late night talks with Danny, the endless mornings fighting Tom for the upstairs bathroom. All things I couldn't get back but I never wanted to let go.

Yet, here I was, with an incredible attractive man pressed up against me, practically holding me against him. It felt good. Oh, so good but it didn't feel right. It wasn't right to be there when all I could think about was someone else.

I, reluctantly, pulled myself away from Aaron's warmth and turned around, refusing to look him in the eyes and hand him back his bass. "I should be going." I whispered, rubbing the back of my neck, my palms still slick with sweat. "It's late and I have work in the morning, plus, you have that meeting and everything-"

"Dougie." He chuckled, holding his free hand up to silence me as he set his guitar back on it's stand. "You don't have to explain yourself."

I nodded and walked across the room to retrieve my coat while Aaron loomed by the elevator door, summoning the elevator for me. I gave him an awkward smile as I pulled my jacket on, shoving my hands in my pockets. We stood there in silence until the door opened and I stepped inside, meeting his eyes once more. "I had a really good time tonight. Thanks."

"Don't mention it." He said, putting his hand against the door jam to prevent them from closing and leaned in at alarming speed that I didn't have time to react before his lips were on mine. I wasn't sure if it was to stop him from feeling bad or if it was actual want but I found myself kissing him back. It was a soft and sweet kiss. Aaron kept to his promise of keeping things friendly and not pushing the kiss into anything heated though I could tell he wanted to take it there.

He pulled back with a light, blissful smile on his lips and whispered. "I'll call you tomorrow." Before stepped back and letting the doors close.

As soon as Aaron disappeared from view, my knees gave way and I collapsed against the wall of the elevator. It was amazing how light headed one could feel when their head was filled with so many thoughts.

The main thought running through my head seemed to be…what had I gotten myself into?


	27. Chapter 27

"So, Danny, how have things been at work lately?" Tom asked, setting down a plate on the dining room table. He and Danny had offered to set the table while Giovanna finished up making dinner for the evening. Tom had noticed that Danny was acting differently since Tom walked in on him and Dougie's talking.

Danny seemed to be in a more upbeat mood. He didn't tense up when Dougie's name was mentioned or bat an eyelash when Tom told him that the blonde would be stopping by for a visit. No longer did Danny hide away in his room when Dougie was over, though, he was still reluctant to carry on a full conversation but he did contribute more and was much more relaxed.

Dougie had asked Tom not to mention his seemingly budding relationship with Aaron to Danny. He wanted to be the one to tell him when the moment was right and when Dougie was sure that he and Aaron were a sure thing.

Danny shrugged as he set down the last of the silverware beside his plate and took a seat at the table, Tom following suit, sitting across from him. "You know how it is being locked in a studio all day." He said, the evidence of his time in the studio clear on his face. He had been pulling many late night sessions in the studio, while juggling his daytimes at the office. Tom would only see Danny briefly when he returned home from work. Danny would have just woken up from a power nap, sitting on the couch, munching on some cereal and be out the door as Tom settled in for bed.

Tom was sitting back in his chair, smirking at his evasive friend. He knew the last thing Danny wanted to talk about was work but music was always Tom's reason for living and he missed being in the studio so much. "Come on, Dan. You know what I mean." He said, sitting up more and leaning his elbows on the table. "How are things with the whole Harry situation?"

Danny sighed and ran his finger around the edge of his plate. "If I'm being honest, surprisingly well." He said, finally. "He shows up on time, does what he has to do and leaves with as little interaction with me as possible. "

"That's a plus." Tom nodded and sat back once more. "What about the other guys?"

"They're great. It's refreshing to have a starter band that actually know where they want to go and where they're at." He said, pouring some wine into his glass then taking a sip. "They get their tracks down within five takes and the rest of the studio time, we just jam out melodies."

"So, you've gotten to know them pretty well, personally, then?" Tom asked, spinning his spoon around with his finger.

Danny raised an eyebrow, looking at his blonde haired friend suspiciously. Tom never asked him about the bands he worked with so what made him so interested all of a sudden? "You normally do when you're stuck inside a studio for hours on end."

Tom waved his hand, urging him to continue. "What do you think of them?"

Danny blew out a burst of air that he had held in his lungs and smiled lightly. "Wes is a riot." He said finally with a chuckle. "I don't know where he comes up with his jokes but the man is a genius at one liners and Charlie is just as funny." At the moment, Tom's girlfriend, Giovanna, walked in the room, carrying the large plate of spaghetti and set it down on the table and then handed Danny the tongs, allowing him to be the first to help himself to the delicious looking pasta while she went back into the kitchen to get the bread and wine. "Thanks Gi." Danny said as she walked back out of the room before continuing his story as he piled food onto his plate. "I was just telling him the other day that if the band thing doesn't work out that he and Wes should take their comedy act on the road." Tom joined Danny in a light laughed, leaning his chin on his palm, watching his friend curiously. "They'd make millions." Danny added at the end as he passed the bowl down.

"Aaron was a pretty cool guy." Tom added, off hand, as he began to gather his food, smiling at his girlfriend when she entered the room once more.

Danny nodded, waiting until he swallowed his food before answering. "Great guy." He said, dabbing his mouth with his napkin. "Perfect front man for the group. Got the looks, personality and talent." He shrugged, scooping another forkful of food into his mouth. "He's the complete package."

Tom frowned slightly. "You don't get along with Aaron?"

"What makes you say that?" Danny questioned, furrowing his eyebrows.

Tom shrugged casually, pouring himself some wine. "I just feel a weird vibe coming off you, is all." He said, eyeing Danny now full on.

Danny shifted in his seat, grabbing the nearest bottle of wine to him and filling his glass back up, as well. "He's a really great guy but I don't know him very well." He was acting very evasive, taking a gulp of the bitter liquid. "He's very focused when we're in the studio so I haven't really seen the laid back Aaron that you and Dougie seem so enthusiastic about."

The last comment caused both Tom and Giovanna to sit up straighter, the sounds of jealousy were faint but not missed by Giovanna's ears.

"Doug has mentioned Aaron to you?" Tom asked.

Danny seemed to not notice his companions startled looks and continued the conversation like normal. "In passing." He confirmed. "Asked me what I thought of him, seemed put out by my answer." He took a bite out of his dinner roll and looked at Tom suspiciously again. "What is so special about him anyways that you're so interested?"

"No reason." Tom dismissed with a wave of his hand and stood up, grabbing the empty wine bottle off the table. "I'm just a curious guy." He said with his signature grin. "I'm going to go get something to drink."

Silence fell after Tom left the room. Danny seemed lost in thought, pushing the rest of his food around his plate.

Giovanna was watching her friend with sad eyes. Tom may have thought that Danny was hiding something but she was sure of it. She cleared her thought and took a small sip of her wine and smiled sweetly at Danny's frowning face. "I think it's really great that you and Dougie are talking again."

He rolled her eyes and continued to play with his food. "Don't get your hopes up, Gi. We're not friends or anything."

"You sure looked like friends the other day."

Danny made a mumbling noise but remained silent.

She sighed and folded her hands on the table, waiting for Danny to look back at her in annoyance. "I'm glad you're making the effort to put the past behind you." She said, her voice soft and gentle. "I know I wasn't there for any of it but Tom has told me stories and I see how much this affects him; To be torn between the two of you." She reached across and placed her hand over his, squeezing it lightly. "But this is the happiest I've seen him in a long time so thank you."

Danny swallowed, the muscles in his face tightening as he fought against his own emotions. "No problem." He managed to whisper out of his closed throat. He bit his lip and looked at Giovanna, confliction shining out of his eyes clearer than the tears that were filling them. He opened his mouth to say something but quickly closed it and looked back down at his plate, pulling his hand away from her.

"Who wants some wine?" Tom asked rhetorically, as he entered the room, filling everyone's glasses.

"Danny and I were just talking about how great it is that he and Dougie are talking again." Giovanna said, taking another sip of her wine, smirking at the wide eyed look on her boyfriend's face.

"Were you?"

"I was simply telling your _darling_ girlfriend here," He playfully smirked at the brunette girl. "that I am making an effort with Dougie. No promises, no guarantees."

Tom nodded and smiled. "I appreciate the effort."

"Where is Dougie, anyways? I figured he'd be here." Giovanna asked.

Tom looked at his girlfriend, his eyes narrowing. She knew full well where Dougie was which made him wonder what she was playing at. "He's out."

"Oh, that's right!" She exclaimed, Tom recognizing the falseness in her surprised reaction. "He had his date with Aaron tonight."

Tom was about to reprimand his girlfriend, having told her before that Danny was not to know about Dougie and Aaron but the two were interrupted as the sound of metal clattering on porcelain caught their attention and they turned to see Danny fumbling to gain control of the fork that he had dropped, his eyes as wide as saucers, his skin turning white.

"Danny? You okay?" Giovanna asked with a look of concern, reaching her hand out to touch him but stopped short before resting it back down on the table.

Danny nodded, pursing his lips and taking hold of his fork once more. "Fine." He whispered hoarsely.

"You sure?" Tom asked. "You look a little pale."

"I'm fine." Danny said more firmly, his voice returning back to normal. "Just caught me a little off guard. I didn't know the two of them were seeing each other." His shoulders were still tense and his face blank of any emotion but he managed to give off an air of normalcy that satisfied Giovanna but Tom knew Danny was anything but fine with the news.

"He didn't tell you?" Giovanna asked, ignoring Tom's glare for her to stop making things worse. "They've been on a few dates this week."

Danny's eye twitched and he gripped his utensil so hard his knuckles were turning white. He rounded his shoulders and sighed heavily. "Good for him." He mumbled before excusing himself and disappearing into his bedroom.

Danny didn't emerge from his room the rest of the evening and Tom had a funny feeling that he would be in for a long talk with him in the morning.


	28. Chapter 28

**So sorry for the delay in adding.  
****  
I'm running low on chapters that have already been written so I'm going to start spacing out the adds to maybe three a week instead of one everyday. There isn't far to go in this story though, around 7 more chapters. Maybe more if something comes to me.**

**Thank you all for your lovely reviews. They make me smile so much and really makes writing this even more enjoyable than it already is.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

It felt good to hang out with Tom again after a long week of work, school and meetings with Aaron. I was still having a hard time saying the word 'date' when it came to the gorgeous bassist and I. I mean, I should've been used to it by now seeing as I'd let him start referring to me as his boyfriend.

We hadn't slept together. No, that I was certainly not ready for, but we had started to…explore…each other more. We kept our clothes on at all time and he was respectful and patient with me, never pushing me into something I didn't want to do, no matter how excited he got.

It was nice to have someone who listened to me and was genuinely interested in the things that I said. He was caring, attentive and everything a person could hope to find in a partner but something still stopped me from letting him in fully.

I stretched out on Tom's couch, groaning in satisfaction as my muscles stretched and bones cracked. I had worked a twelve hour shift at the book shop due to the recent flu bug that was going around that knocked out half of the staff. My feet were throbbing from standing the whole time.

Tom reclined back in his chair, watching me in amusement as I snuggled deeper into his couch, stretching as far as I could. "Feel better?"

"Much." I confirmed, a blissful smile spreading across my face.

"So, how was your date with Aaron?" Tom asked.

I shrugged, my smile fading slightly. "Our first date was great. Really great." I said, propping myself up on the couch pillows. "We went out to dinner and talked about anything and everything and then we," I looked down at my hands, wringing them nervously. "went back to his."

Tom sat up at full attention at that comment, his eyebrows shooting up in intrigue. "You went back to his?" He said scandalously, smirking slyly with his dimple appearing on his chin.

I chuckled and shook my head at him. "Nothing happened. We just hung up. He showed me his bass-"

"He showed you his bass, eh?" Tom said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively making my cheeks burn in embarrassment.

"His guitar, you pervert!" I laughed, throwing a pillow at him. "He showed me his guitar and then we sort of kissed."

Tom was on the edge of his seat now, looking at me expectantly. "Well? How was it?"

I bit my lip to stop my smile from growing. "It was nice. He's a great kisser." I admitted while Tom seemed to be bouncing in his seat in excitement. He had been hoping things would go well with Aaron and I from the beginning, insisting that I had to try and put myself out there. "I'm really enjoying myself with him." I said, looking down at my hands again, the smile disappearing from my lips.

Tom frowned as well and then sighed. "Why do I sense a but coming?"

I looked up at him and frowned more. "But, I can't stop thinking that maybe something could happen with Danny." I said, biting my lip to stop it from trembling. "We've just started talking again and I know the awkward moment outweigh the normal ones but we're getting there and I can't stop myself from loving him." I rambled on, tears falling down my cheeks. "I want to be happy, Tom but I can't stop loving him. Why can't I just stop?"

Tom got up and strode across the room to sit beside me, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me to him. He sighed heavily and rubbed comforting circles up and down my back, rocking me back and forth as I cried against his chest. He didn't say anything for a few minutes, letting me get the worst of my tears out while he whispered encouraging words to me to help calm me down. I clung to his t-shirt helplessly, feeling the dampness from my tears on his shirt against my cheek. I pulled away and saw that I had left a giant stain on Tom's gray t-shirt and mumbled an apology before folding my arms across my chest.

Tom sniffed and I saw that he, too, had a few stray tears in his eyes as he brushed some hair away from my face. He blinked them away and gave me a watery smile. "Oh Dougie. Do you have any idea how much it kills me to see you go through all of this?" He asked, using his thumb to wipe the tears tracks from my cheeks. "You are an amazing guy, who deserves nothing but happiness and love and I hate seeing you so conflicted over this." He cupped my cheek in his hand, his eyes shining with brotherly love. "If you want my honest opinion," He paused and let his hand down from my cheek. "Danny is an idiot.

He has had enough time to get over this whole mess and it's not fair to you to have to wait for him to get over this stubbornness of his." I watched Tom silently, tears filling my eyes once again as Tom gave me the hard truth. "You need to be happy and, as much as I hate to say it, I don't think Danny can do that for you anymore."

"But I still love him." I said, looking up at the ceiling in an effort to stop the tears from falling again.

Tom grabbed my hand and held it in his tightly. "Nothing says you can't still love him, Dougie. He's your first love and he'll always be apart of you in some way but you have such a big heart. You have room in there to let others in."

I smiled and placed my free hand on top of Tom's hands. "Thanks, Tom."

He smiled back and leaned back, opening his arms for me to lean in once more for a warm hug. "I'll always be there for you, Dougie. You're like the little brother I always wanted."

"Don't tell Carrie that." I said, with a giggle.

He laughed with me and it felt like a weight had lifted off my chest and the cloud had vanished from my mind, allowing me to see things clearer than ever. Allowing me to know that what I had was a good thing and that maybe-just maybe-it was time for me to move and be happy.


	29. Chapter 29

Things with Aaron and I had gotten so much better once I started opening myself up to him more. I had told him about my reluctance to take things further with him because I was still hung up on my ex-boyfriend. I didn't tell him that my ex was Danny, though; The last thing I wanted was for things to get weird between the two of them in the studio.

Aaron had been so great and promised that he was willing to wait for me to be ready before we took things to the next level in the romance department.

Our times together were becoming harder and harder to plan as his recording schedule kicked into full gear. He would be spending all of his nights and even some of his days in the studio, laying down tracks and working on vocals with Danny and the other producers. He managed to send me a few text messages throughout the day and I would smile at the pictures he would send but I grew anxious to when we would see each other again.

He picked up on my eagerness and extended an invitation to meet up with him at the studio. He was going to be there for the day but promised that he would leave by six if I showed up. I was to be his excuse for leaving early though, his band mates would never argue with it. He had logged more hours in the studio than any of them and they encouraged him to take a night off every now and again.

It was exciting for me to be back in the studio, even if I was a guest. It was a building I had been in quite a few times in my McFly days, though the interior had been updated and remodeled since we recorded Wonderland there.

Aaron introduced me to Tyron, one of the other producers on the album, and left to go record some vocals. He wanted to get as much done in the hour I had to wait, not wanting to leave me alone for too long, in fear that I would get too bored but I was actually having a really good time.

Wes was there to keep me company before he had to sing some backup vocals while Charlie and Harry only showed up momentarily to listen to a finished song before heading into another room so Harry could work out his drum solo. I kept my eyes averted from him while he was in the room and was thankful that he didn't attempt to speak to me either.

As six o'clock rolled around, I was sat back on the couch, playing on my phone while the band played their fourth take of what was to be their first single. I was vaguely aware of some entering the room out of the corner of my eye and glanced over to see Danny hanging his coat up on the coat rake, his eyes watching the four men in the booth.

He seemed to notice me as he walked over and stood behind Tyron. The two men talked about the things that were done for the day and Danny took a seat at the control panel while Tyron stood up and stretched, walking over to the couch rake to get his things. "Have a good night, Dougie." Tyron said as he pulled his jacket on. "Thanks for keeping me company."

"No problem." I smiled at him as he walked out of the room, leaving me in an awkward silence and the feeling that I was being watched.

I glanced up to see that Danny had spun his chair around and was now staring at me with a shocked expression on his face. I tried to fight the blush that threatened to creep up on me. "Hey." I said with a small smile, looking back down at my phone.

"Hi." He whispered back but didn't move. I could see him still watching me in my peripheral vision. He coughed and readjusted himself in his seat so that he looked more comfortable but his shoulders remained rigid and tense. "What are you doing here?"

I shrugged, still playing with my phone. "Waiting for Aaron." I said, trying not to say much more.

He nodded slowly, smacking his lips together. "So, I haven't seen you around the flat lately." He said after a moment of silence. "Where've you been?"

I shrugged, rubbing the back of my neck. "Work and school, mostly." I said, my eyes moving to the man playing the bass in the sound room. "I've been trying to form a social life outside of just Tom." I added with a smile, trying to lighten the tension in the air.

Danny looked over his shoulder, following my eye line and then faced back forward, his eyes downcast. "Tom said that you were seeing Aaron."

My eyes bulged slightly as I mentally cursed Tom for opening his big mouth while trying to come up with something to say. I tried my best to keep my voice level as I answered, my eyes refusing to meet his blank, empty ones, instead focusing on the small tear in the knee of my jeans. "We've been hanging out, yeah." I said, running my finger over the ripped denim. "Why so curious?"

"Just making conversation." Danny said, dismissively, turning back around and giving the guys a thumbs up as he saved their session.

Silence fell once more as Danny listened back to the song, his fingers expertly gliding across the control panel with effortless skill. A chill ran down my spine as I watched his hands move and, as I closed my eyes, I saw flashes of those same hands on me. Fingers tangling in my hair, nails dragging across skin, the faintest touch leaving a trail of Goosebumps in it's wake. I couldn't stop the gasp as it tumbled from my lips or the increasing tightness in my pants. "Danny." I said, breathlessly, shifting in my chair to find a comfortable position.

I had no idea what it was that I wanted to say to him; All I did know was that I wanted nothing more than to look at his face once again.

Danny turned around, his brow furrowed questioningly. My mind went blank as I looked into his eyes, my mouth hanging open but no words were forming. Luckily, I was saved from speaking when Aaron entered the room, laughing at a joke he must have heard from one of his band mates.

"Hey." He said, pulling me up from the couch and wrapping his arms around my waist, pulling me close to him in a tight hug.

I couldn't stop the smile from spreading across my face as I hugged Aaron, his warm and cheerful energy coursing through me as our bodies connected. I giggled as he pulled me closer but the smile quickly vanished when my eyes connected with Danny's again. The once brilliant blue was now cloudy and hardened and, though his face remained emotionless, I could see the muscles around his mouth straining against turning his lips into a frown.

I, suddenly, felt very self conscious about being so close to Aaron with my ex only a few feet away. I pulled away and created some distance between us, hoping that Danny would just take it as a friendly hug but no such luck. The brunette continued to watch us and I could feel the sweat starting to form on the back of my neck as I tried to focus on the things Aaron was saying, straining to keep my eyes trained on Aaron's even though Danny's were drawing me in like a moth to a flame.

Aaron seemed completely oblivious to the tension in the room as he continued to go on about the new song the were working on. I just nodded dumbly, only catching every other word he was saying. Danny just sat back and watched the exchanging, his judging eyes sweeping over us made me more and more uncomfortable. I just wanted to ground to open and swallow me up.

In my haze, I missed the question Aaron posed to me and had to shake my head to clear out the crowding thoughts. "Huh?"

He laughed and ran his hand through my hair affectionately. "I asked if you were ready to go."

"Oh! Uh…yeah." I nodded, grinning at him as his hand slid down to cup my cheek. He bent down and gently placed his lips over mine in a soft, gentle kiss.

I let my eyes flutter close but it just didn't feel right with Danny' eyes burning a hole into Aaron's skull. I pulled back and stepped away, looking down at my feet as my face began to feel like it was on fire from embarrassment. "I-I'll…um…just g-get my c-c-coat." I stuttered nervously and shuffled quickly out of the room, looking back only once to see Aaron smiling happily after me while Danny sat with a cold glare fixed on Aaron.

As the door shut, I couldn't help but think that the look on Danny's face was one of jealousy.


	30. Chapter 30

Danny felt the violent churning in his stomach as he watched Dougie and Aaron kiss. He clenched his jaw and let out a shaky breath.

He should have been ready for that. Tom had told him that they were dating but he couldn't fight back the urge to ram Aaron's head through a wall.

Once Dougie had left the room, Danny took the opportunity to look at the bassist. He stood, staring at the door Dougie had disappeared from, his cheeks slightly flush with a goofy grin plastered on his face. He ran his hand through his hair and turned to Danny, grinning wider. "He's something else, eh?" He said, his grin changing into a sheepish smile.

"He's m-" Danny paused, his eyes widening for a fraction of a second before he cleared his throat and said. "He's Dougie."

He turned back to the sound board as Aaron began putting his bass away, this time his eyes were visibly wide and darting around in silent panic. He had almost said 'He's my Dougie.' _My Dougie_.

He shook his head, firmly. Ever since finding out about Dougie and Aaron, the young blonde boy had been the only thing on his mind. It almost angered Danny to feel that way about Dougie moving on. He couldn't expect him to stay single forever and he had no right to feel jealous over it. He had let Dougie go, told him to find someone else. It was what was best, in the end. They just wouldn't work out with their past. At least, that was what Danny kept trying to convince himself despite his gut instinct telling him otherwise.

He swiveled back around in his chair and smiled the best he could as Aaron zipped up his backpack and set it down on the couch. He put his hands on his hips and blew out a breath. "You look anxious." Danny commented, his eyes trailing from Aaron's shaky hand up to his slightly paled lips.

The corner of Aaron's lip curled up into a shaky lopsided smile as he clenched his hands into fists tightly before releasing them again in an effort to relieve some stress. "Is it that obvious?" He asked, breathless and almost giddy, much to Danny's growing annoyance.

"If you don't mind me asked." Danny began, his curiosity getting the better of him. "How long have you and Dougie been seeing each other?"

He shrugged, bending down to snap the locks in place on his guitar case. "A few weeks now." He said, setting the case upright against the wall. "He's been wanting to take it slow but he's finally gotten used to me calling him my boyfriend." He chuckled as he looked at Danny curiously. "He hasn't told you any of this?"

"Uh, I don't see Dougie that often." Danny said, trying to come off as casual as possible. "I hear most of it from my roommate and, even then, it's not much." He wringed his hands and bit his lip, pondering if what he wanted to ask next was something he really wanted to hear but, before he could come to a decision, the words came tumbling out of his mouth. "So, have you and Dougie-" He grimaced as if a sudden bad taste had entered his mouth. He waved his hands around, trying to come up with a suitable word only to fail miserably and blurt out. "You know." He stared at Aaron, hoping he got what he meant so that he wouldn't have to say the actual act.

Aaron's cheeks turned a faint pink and he looked down at his shoes, bashfully. "I can't tell out that, Dan."

"Of course you can!" Danny exclaimed, wincing at how loud and borderline desperate he sounded. "I mean, I was in a band with him." He recovered quickly, relaxing his shoulders as much as he could. "I'm sure I've heard worse." Aaron still looked unsure so Danny leaned forward, smiling mischievously. "Come on." He goaded. "Just between us guys."

Aaron clenched his teeth for a moment in uncertainty before sighing in resignation. "No. When I said we were taking it slow, I meant it. We've only kissed so far." Danny sat back in his chair, with a calm smile now, the knots in his stomach untangling. "But, I'm hoping to change that tonight."

Danny's eyes narrowed instantly, his lips scrunching in tight. "What do you mean?"

"I'm hoping tonight will be the night that Dougie and I take things to the next level." He said, throwing his backpack over his shoulder and picking up his guitar case. "Thanks for talking to me, Danny. Really helped relieve the stress." He smiled and waved goodbye as he walked out the door, leaving Danny to stare after him in disbelief.

He felt like he had been punched in the gut. Why did it have to be Aaron? Why couldn't Dougie date some loser so Danny could justify wanting to break them up?

In the time that Danny had spent with the band's front man, he had been every girl and guy's greatest fantasy. Drop dead gorgeous, talented, stellar personality and an undying loyalty towards loved ones. He was the perfect guy and he was perfect for Dougie.

He sighed in resignation, turning his back to the door and began working on editing the song on the screen but no matter how hard he tried, Danny just couldn't focus. He groaned and brought his hands up to his face, rubbing it vigorously then dragging them down, stretching the skin to it's limits before dropping them to his lap.

"You know." A cool voice sounded behind him, making Danny jump and cringe as he instantly knew who the voice belonged to. "I always knew you weren't the brightest in the group but I never thought you were this dumb."

Danny's eyes were already hard as steel when he turned to face the new occupant in the room. "What do you want, Judd?"

Harry smirked and walked further into the room, flopping down on the sofa with an over the top sigh. "Just wondering why you're just sitting there, moping, while Dougie is walking out of here with Cutie McSexy Pants."

"I don't want to hear Dougie's name leave your mouth ever again." Danny threatened through clenched teeth. "Do you understand me?"

Harry's ever present smirk remained, unaltered by Danny's threat, as he watched his former band mate turned producer with an amused twinkle in his eyes. "Come on, Jones. I'm just trying to make conversation. Be a friend."

Danny raised his hand to silence the drummer, using his other hand to pinch the bridge of his nose in frustration. "We. Are. Not. Friends. You single handedly ruined my life all for some drunken night in bed with my boyfriend." He lowered his hands and looked at Harry with empty eyes. "You are the reason I lost every bit of happiness in my life. The last thing I want is for you to come in here and talk about Dougie like nothing ever happened." He sniffed and looked down at his feet, refusing to let Harry see the tears welling up in his eyes. "Haven't you done enough meddling in our lives?"

Harry's smirk finally fell as he watched Danny blink back tears. He sighed and leaned forward, resting his arms on his lap and clasping his hands together. "Dougie has made it clear that he doesn't want me in his life and I completely get and respect that." He said slowly and softly, his eyes never leaving to top of Danny's head. "But, despite all that happened when we were younger, I still care for you guys." He stood up and walked the short distance between he and Danny and knelt down in front of him. "You may not believe me but I've done a lot of growing up over the past few years and I know what I did was wrong-"

Danny's head snapped up and Harry recoiled at the sight of Danny's eyes. The once azure blue had been clouded and masked with tears to the point where they almost looked grey. He continued to glare at Harry coldly, tears falling through his lashes.

Harry blinked and sat back. "What I did was really, really wrong." He reiterate, finding his voice again. "I'm not saying this to make you upset. I'm saying this to make you see that you're making a big mistake letting Dougie walk out on you again."

"What do you expect me to do?" Danny asked, flopping back in his chair, pouting as he wiped the tears from his eyes. "I've pushed him into this. I can't come to terms with how I feel and it's not fair for me to just make him wait. He deserves to be happy and Aaron can do that. He can do what I can't."

Harry nodded, his eyebrows raised in thought. "You're right. Aaron can make him happy but Dougie will never love him."

Danny said nothing but continued to look at Harry questioningly.

Harry sighed and sat fully on the floor finally, his feet beginning to go numb from balancing on them for too long. "Dougie's heart belongs to you, Danny. Even back when I wanted him; it was never going to me mine, no matter what I tried. He's meant to be with you." He rolled his eyes as the cliché comment tumbled from his lips. "It's bloody fate."

"What am I supposed to do, Harry?" Danny asked, rubbing his temples. "Just track Dougie down, in the middle of a date, and announced that I've changed my mind and want him back? What kind of person does that make me?"

"A smart one." Harry replied, his eyes reflecting nothing but caring and concern. The obnoxious, self-centered child that he was when they were younger was now replaced by a grown up, mature man. "Aaron will fall head over heels for him and Dougie, being Dougie, will settle for him because he makes him feel safe. You still have time, Danny, but if you don't act, you will lose him forever."

Danny's head rolled back as more tears threatened to fall. "How are you so sure of this?"

"Because I was watching you two in the sound booth today and I've seen him with Aaron and I can tell you, first hand, that he will never look at Aaron the same way that he looks at you." Harry watched his former friend with sad eyes as he, too, came to terms with what he was saying. "He can give Aaron everything he has but Aaron will never have his heart."

"Why are you telling me all of this?" Danny asked after a moment of silence between the two of them. "What's in this for you?"

Harry shrugged but Danny's piercing gaze forced the answer out of him, though it wasn't as reluctant as he wanted it to seem. "I still care about Dougie. I always will and I wanted him to be happy. You make him happy." Danny continued to watch him and Harry finally growled as he finished his thought. "Plus, Aaron looks like he'd be great in bed."

Danny stared at him for a beat before bursting out in laughter. It was something only Harry would say so bluntly. Even when he had the best intentions at heart, there was always something in it for him, in the end.

Harry looked stunned at Danny's reaction but eventually relaxed and started to laugh with Danny.

The two never made physical contact. There was no hand shake or hug to show that the hatchet had been buried between the two. It was made in their laugh together.


	31. Chapter 31

Aaron has said, as we left the studio, that he was way to tired to go out so we opted to go back to his place for a quiet night in. However, that quiet night in of just dinner, cooked by Aaron, and a movie seemed to turn into an intense make out session on his couch.

Maybe it was the wine, the fact that Aaron made me feel so comfortable around him or a mixture of both but somewhere between the playful caresses and innocent kisses, I ended up laying on his couch with him on top of me, shirtless.

Everything about the situation was perfect. The mood, the lighting in the room, the way his body was pressed against mine yet hovered just enough as to not crush me; the perfect amount of contact and yet something just didn't feel right.

I couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't right. That being in that room, kissing this amazing man was all wrong, for me.

No matter how hard I tried not to, I kept thinking about Danny. I couldn't get the look that was on his face when I left the studio out of my mind.

There was something unnerving in his eyes, like he didn't want me to leave but that was silly. He did want me to move on, he said it himself. I was meant to feel happy with Aaron and I genuinely was but it wasn't enough. Something was missing.

"Aaron." I mumbled, tilting my head to the side, away from his sinfully soft lips.

The larger man ignored me and continued kissing down my face and to my neck, only briefly humming in response.

I rolled my eyes and slid my hands down from his shoulders to his chest, pushing him back gently. "Aaron. Stop." I said again.

He looked down on me, breathless and flushed. "What's wrong?" He panted.

I suddenly felt very insecure being that close to him. I dropped my hands from his chest down to mine and frowned, looking away. "I'm not very comfortable."

"Oh." He said, still trying to regain his breath. "Did you want to move to the bed?"

I coughed awkwardly, feeling my face begin to heat up from embarrassment. "Eh, no." I wiggled around, trying to sit up, the need for more oxygen and space becoming a priority in my mind. "I mean, I'm not comfortable with this." I said, pointing my finger between him and I to indicate what I meant.

Aaron sat back, sitting between my legs and watching me with a hint of disappointment in his eyes. "I'm sorry I pushed it." He said, placing his hand over mine. "We can slow it down until you are a hundred percent ready."

I winced at his caring tone. He wasn't going to make this easy on me. "I'm not ready for any of it." I whispered, looking down at my hands, one still covered by his. "I can't do this. I'm so sorry."

Aaron's shoulders sagged. He looked as if he had a million and one thoughts running through his head. He sighed and straightened up once more. "Well then, I'll wait till you're ready for a relationship."

I groaned and pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration. Why did he have to be so bloody understanding about everything? "The thing is, I am ready for a relationship." I said, watching him cautiously. "Just not with you."

His face was emotionless for what felt like an eternity before his eyebrows slowly raised as what I had said sank in fully. "Oh." was all he said as he sat back, allowing me to pull my legs forward so that I could sit up properly.

An awkward silence fell over us as I looked around the flat, wondering where my shoes ended up. Aaron sat beside me, leaning his arms on his legs as he continued to process things. I couldn't look at his face, though. I felt terrible for springing my feelings on him in the middle of something so intimate but I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I had let it go any further.

I glanced to my side and watched his knees bounce up and down. One of his hands traveled up to his face, running through his hair and down the back of his neck. He coughed, clearing his throat and looked at me finally. "I've got to ask, is this about that ex of your's?"

I nodded, chewing on my bottom lip. "Yeah." I whispered. "I'm still in love with him and he doesn't know." I explained. "I mean, I think he knows but I haven't said the words to him since we broke up. I just need to tell him and hear him say that it's over."

"What makes you think he's going to say that?"

"I hurt him." I said matter-of-factly. "Badly."

Aaron sat back against the sofa, a warm hand coming to rest on my back. "Ever hear the expression that time heals all wounds?"

"Heals but doesn't erase it"

"But that's life, isn't it?" He said, his hand sliding across my shoulder blade and up my shoulder, pulling me to his side. "It's full of mistakes that knock us down on our ass but it's up to us to pick ourselves back up and make it right again. If this bloke can't see how much you mean to him then he's an idiot."

"He's been getting called that a lot lately." I said, laughing humorlessly.

Aaron chuckled with me and rubbed my arm before removing his arm completely. "Well, if you're in love the guy then what are you still doing here?" He questioned, folding his arms behind his head.

I smiled and stood up to collect my shoes.

"He's a lucky guy, you know." Aaron said, watching me as I sat on the floor to tie my shoes laces.

I nodded, a small smile creeping onto my face. "He is." I said, smiling more. "It's Danny." I told him, not wanting to keep anything from him anymore. Our 'relationship' was over with and I didn't have to hid that I was in love with his boss any more.

Surprisingly enough, Aaron showed very little reaction to my big reveal. He smirked and gave a slight roll of the eyes. "I had a feeling." He said eventually. "He did seem like he wanted to rip my head off when I was talking about you tonight. I have a feeling you have nothing to worry with him."

I stood up and looked at the man sitting on the couch for a moment before throwing myself on top of him, hugging him as tightly as I possibly could. He laughed and wrapped his arms around my waist, patting my back gently. "Thank you." I whispered into his ear then kissed his cheek as I pulled away.

He released me and nodded, waving me off to the elevator. "We're still friends, though, right?" He asked, still sitting on the couch as I hit the button, calling the lift up.

I turned around and stared at him like he was crazy. "Of course we are." I yelled, stepping into the elevator. "You're going to meet someone amazing, Aaron, and you're going to make them even happier than you've made me." I said, bringing my fingers to my lips and blowing him a kiss. "I promise."

He closed his hand in a fist to show that he caught my kiss and winked. "Go get your man, Dougie."


	32. Chapter 32

**Finally! So sorry for the delay in adding. For some reason, every time I tried to log in, I kept getting an error message.  
But I'm here now and I have an add! Hope you like it!**

**Thank you, as always, for the lovely comments. You guys are amazing. 3**

* * *

"I'm home!" Tom announced, shutting the door behind him and leaning his dripping umbrella against the wall. "Anyone around?" He asked, hanging his jacket up and shaking some stray rain drops from his hair.

The weather outside seemed to reflect the moods of many of his customers that day: cold and unpredictable. Rowdy school kids destroyed his organized sections while pushy people continued to pester him for the most obscure music. He even had a woman threaten to beat him up for not having Justin Bieber in stock. Like it was his fault that damn CD was always sold out!

It was forecasted to be one of the warmer days of the season but ended up being rainy and miserable. All Tom wanted to do was curl up on the couch, in his pajamas, with a cup of tea and catch up on the current season of Glee.

He shuffled into the living room, humming to himself. He had gotten half way to the kitchen when he suddenly noticed the figure sitting on the couch, staring out the window at the torrential downpour, absentmindedly. "Uh, hey mate." He said, staring at his friend warily. "You alright?"

Danny nodded his head but remained silent. He has his arms crossed on top of the couch with his head resting on them, his back to Tom.

Tom couldn't see his face but he knew, from years of friendship, that a silent Danny wasn't an alright Danny. He put on his patented reassuring smile and prepared to hear about his bad day at work. He walked over and sat beside his sulking friend and felt the smile vanish as he took in Danny's tear stained face. "Danny." He said softly, moving closer so that he could place a comforting hand on Danny's shoulder. "What's wrong? What happened?"

Danny sniffed and continued to stare out the window. "I messed it all up again." He muttered, miserably.

"Messed what up?"

Danny continued talking as if Tom wasn't even there, as if he were talking to himself. "I just let him walk out and I didn't say anything."

"Who walked out? Danny." Tom gripped Danny's arm until the blue eyed boy turned and acknowledged his presence finally. "What are you talking about?" He asked firmly, staring hard at Danny, trying to keep his focus on him.

"Dougie." He whispered. His eyes clouding over like it pained him to utter the name.

Tom relaxed back into the sofa cushion and released the air he was holding in his lungs as a mighty sigh. "What happened this time?"

"He was in the studio, waiting, and we started talking and it was-" Danny paused, still watching the sheets of rain fall outside the window. "Weird." He finished a moment later.

"A good weird or a bad weird?" Tom asked, shifting around and folding his arms on the top of the couch, resting his chin on his arms in an exact copy of Danny's position so that they were side by side; both watching the rain outside.

Danny shrugged lightly. "A good weird. There wasn't any tension. Just something I can't describe." He tilted his head till his cheek rested on his forearm, so that he could look at Tom, a blithe smile formed, as if remembering a wonderful dream. "Even though we were talking about Aaron, I just wanted to hear him talk. Then Aaron came in and," The smile slid from his face and he became hard and angry, his dream turning into a nightmare. "He kissed Doug, right in front of me, like no one was there. This anger just bubbled up in me and all I wanted to do was pound his face in. I haven't felt like that since-" Danny stopped and turned back to the window, thoughts consuming him once more.

Tom nodded un understanding, knowing that he was referring back to the night between Harry and Dougie. Tom smiled despite the dark mood Danny was in because he knew what Danny was trying to say. "So, what does that tell you?"

The corner of Danny's eye twitched and his jaw clenched. "It doesn't matter-"

"Say it, Danny!"

"I love him!" He bellowed, sitting upright. "Alright! I. Love. Him. I've always bloody loved him."

Tom chuckled. "Took you nearly five years to admit. So, what are you going to do now?"

Danny slapped his hands over his face and groaned in anger at Tom's cheerfulness to the situation. He sighed and looked at his grinning friend from over the top of his fingertip. "Nothing."

"What do you mean?" Tom asked.

"There's nothing I can do." He said, his chest deflating, his eyes dropping down to his hands. "He's off with Aaron now…doing God knows what."

Tom reached over and touched Danny's shoulder again. "There's still time, Dan."

"No, there isn't." He groaned, swallowing back the lump in his throat. "Aaron told me that he was planning on taking their relationship to…the next level." He spat the last few words out like they were a bad taste in their mouth. "Why do I always do this?" He asked, looking up to the ceiling as tears welled up in his eyes. "I have him waiting there but I can't bring myself to just say how I feel and I let him walk away with the wrong person." He dropped his head into his hands and sobbed. "It's like some vicious circle where I always lose him, in the end."

Tom bit his lip, frowning as he gripping Danny's shoulder. "I'm so sorry, mate. This is all my fault."

Danny physically recoiled back, looking at Tom incredulously. "What? Tom, this isn't your fault."

"Yes. It is." He answered, firmly. "I should never had pushed Dougie on you like that. I shouldn't have brought him around without telling you first." He sighed. "I was just so happy to have him back that I guess it was just this selfish side of me that wanted things to go back to the way things were."

"There isn't a selfish bone in your body." Danny said, with a small, watery smile.

Tom slid his hand down Danny's freckled arm and came to rest over his hand, gripping it tightly. "I'm going to and change out something less damp and then you and I are going to talk about this some more." He patted Danny's hand and stood up, wincing as he stepped on the wet part of his jeans. "We're going to figure this out!" He called as he disappeared down the hallway towards his bedroom.

Danny sighed and turned back to the window, watching the rain continue to pour down, his hope at ever being with Dougie again being washed away with it. He had no one to blame but himself.

The sound of a knock at the door made Danny look around. It didn't sound like Tom was coming out of his room anytime soon so Danny sighed, wiping away the tears that continued to fall silently down his cheeks, cleared his throat trying to pull himself back together and stood up as a more persistent knock sounded again.


	33. Chapter 33

Danny had to clench his jaw irritably as the door was pounded on for the fifth time. He had yelled to Tom to answer the it but when the blonde refused to leave his room by knock three, Danny had no choice but to make the walk from the living room to the door.

He reached out and turned the handle, a few choice obscenities on the tip of his tongue, ready to unleash all his frustrations of the day on the poor, impatient person on the other side.

The door swung open and there stood a flushed, out of breath, dripping wet Dougie, fist raised, ready to knock once again. Danny was frozen. His wide eyes raked over the shivering boy; his hair was completely drenched and hung limp around his face, pieces stuck to his forehead, a mixture of water and tears slid down his rosy colored cheeks. Danny's eyes trailed over to Dougie's lips as he saw a drop of water connect with the corner of Dougie's mouth and then vanish in an instant, spreading out like a river meeting the ocean, to moisten the boy's perfect pink lips.

Danny followed more droplets of water as they cascaded over Dougie's strong jaw and down his throat, over his Adam's apple then disappear into his t-shirt that clung to his chest like a second skin.

"Dougie?" He croaked out, unable to recalled when he began to breath once more or when his jaw regained function over itself. "What ar-"

In a flash, Dougie's arms were around Danny's neck and lips met in a haphazard, teeth clattering kiss.

The electricity that coursed through Danny's body turned his legs to jelly and he had to reach behind him and grab hold of the wall so that he could brace himself up as he stumbled back a few steps, pulling Dougie over the threshold of the apartment with him.

Danny's brain didn't even have time to process Dougie being at his door, much less respond to the kiss, before Dougie pulled back, letting his hands slid down and come to rest on Danny's chest.

Sapphire eyes locked with Azure ones. "I love you." Dougie proclaimed with a confidence Danny had never seen in the bassist that he couldn't stop his knees from wobbling. "I've always loved you and I probably always will love you." His hands balled into fists around Danny's shirt, keeping the silently stunned brunette from stepping away.

"I left Aaron." He said, a moment later. "I made a mistake years ago and I couldn't do it again." He bit his quivering lip and took a shaky breath. "I know you said you didn't think we could be friends but you're all I want and I don't care what you think. Well, I-I do care what you think."

Danny felt the corners of his mouth lift upwards as he watched Dougie stammer over his words.

"Of course I care what you think." Dougie rambled on. "Your thoughts mean a lot to me. I just meant-"

"Shut up." Danny whispered, wrapping his fingers around Dougie's wrist.

The younger boy faltered again, looking into Danny's emotionally charged eyes. "But I-"

"Shut up." Danny whispered once more, sliding his hands up Dougie's arms until they cupped his face and he leaned in, bringing their lips together again.

Danny was wise to made sure he took breath in deep before closing the distance between he and Dougie because he lost all competent thought the moment he felt Dougie's lips respond to his. He let his hands trail down Dougie's slender frame until his arms were wrapped around his waist, hands clasped against the small of his back.

Dougie's fist uncurled and traveled up, burying and tangling themselves into Danny's soft hair, causing a small whimper to escape the young man's lips.

Danny couldn't stop the smirk that crept across his lips and he pulled Dougie to him, bringing them flush together and igniting a heated groan from both men as hips collided together. Danny's hands unclasped and splayed out on Dougie's back, pressing him closer still, wanting there to be no chance of air to get between them.

Dougie intertwined his fingers into Danny's hair, tugging gently and crushing their lips together as he squeezed his eyes close, refusing to open them again, in case this was all a dream. He gasped as Danny's tongue dragged across his bottom lip.

Danny took advantage of Dougie momentary surprise and plunged his tongue in, relishing in the intensely familiar taste of Dougie mouth.

Their tongues danced together in perfect harmony, giving and taking equally and never once battled for dominance. It was like two old friends reuniting once more.

Danny's senses were heightened as he inhaled Dougie fresh scent, his fingers felling every contour of his back muscles beneath the fibers of his t-shirt, his mouth tasting the hint of faint hint of wine and rain water and his eyes picking up a slight creaking noise to his right.

He cracked his eye open and found Tom grinning like a Cheshire cat in the doorway to his bedroom. Danny was going to wave him off but was beaten to it when Giovanna appeared behind him and gave his shirt a tug, pulling the blonde into the bedroom and closing the door behind her with a playful smile and a wink.

Danny smiled and closed his eye once more, letting his hearing focus on the sounds of their breathing and moans. Danny could feel the heat between the two of them rise as their kiss turned from a passionate meeting to a desperate need for more. He could feel Dougie's arousal against his leg and couldn't stop himself from driving his hip forward, causing Dougie to bite down on Danny's bottom lip in a lustful hiss.

Danny crouched down, lowering his arms around Dougie's bottom and hoisted the man up, Dougie automatically wrapping his legs around Danny's waist.

The two broke their kiss and laughed like two giddy school children, foreheads resting against each other, lips still brushing against each other. Dougie leaned in and kissed Danny again: gently but still needing of his touch.

Danny returned the kiss and turned, walking down the hallway towards his bedroom, the two never separating again.


	34. Chapter 34

**Hey guys!**

**Thank you so much for the awesome comments about the last chapter. Took long enough to get them together, right?**  
**This is the second to last chapter. I was originally going to end it with this one but I wanted to do an Epilogue so that all the characters can have some closure and have a proper ending to things.**  
**I'm thinking that add will be up sometime next week as I'll be away this weekend and don't want to be all emotional. I'm gonna be sad to see this one go.**

**Anyways, if you guys want to keep up to date with other stories (McFly or other genre) that I have in the works, have any questions/comments/concerns/suggestions or just think that I'm a cool person and want to talk, feel free to follow me on Twitter or Tumblr:**

**Twitter: twitter(dot)com/heather_mer  
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**Hope you enjoy the chapter as much as I did writing it!**

* * *

Rays of light streamed through the curtains as the sun began slowly rising. I wiggled, stretching my legs out lazily and groaning in protest as the light shone on my face. I buried my face into my pillow and inhaled deeply, willing sleep to take over me once more.

My eyes sprang open as I released my breath, my stomach clenching as panic and confusion filled me. The smell was different: it smelt like a spring morning and a hint of cologne. The sheets felt different: smooth and airy. The mattress was firm and comfortable.

My mind screamed in horror as I realized that I was not in my bed and the arm draped over me told me that I was not alone. And I was very much naked.

I lay there, paralyzed in fear, glancing around the unfamiliar room as flashes of Harry and I flooded my brain.

Did I imagine the whole thing? Was I back in the band's house? In Harry's room? In Harry's bed?

I closed my eyes and looked over my shoulder. I cracked one eye open and then the other apprehensively, afraid to see what laid beside me.

The slumbering bundle was hidden under crisp white sheets. _Oh God, I did dream it all!_ I thought frantically as I reached up and grabbed hold of the sheets, wincing as I pulled them down to reveal a peaceful looking Danny.

I instantly relaxed and found myself smiling. I hadn't dreamt it all! I loved Danny and he loved me and I was _finally_ back where I belonged.

Danny shifted, his face scrunching up as the morning light shone brightly in the room. Mumbling incoherently, his arms wound tighter around my waist, pulling me closer against him, using my body to shield him from the sun. "Too early." He muttered, nuzzling his nose against my warm back. "Sleep more."

I giggled and slid my hands over his, entwining our fingers. I sighed contently, letting a lazy smile spread across my lips as Danny's steady breath on my back filled me with a sense of calm I had never experienced before. "I could get used to this, you know." I said after a moment of sweet silence.

I could feel him smiling before he began placing soft, butterfly kisses up my back. "Well, that's good," he whispered, leaving a trail of kisses on my shoulder blade and sending chills down my spine. "because I plan on having it like this for a very. Long. Time." He continued, punctuating the last words with kisses to my shoulder, neck and jaw.

I hummed in response, tilting my head to the side, letting him have more access as he kissed up my jaw before nibbling lightly on my earlobe.

I tightened my hold on his hands and arched back, bringing us together, his morning wood rubbing on the small of my back.

Danny growled at the wondrous friction and bit down harder on my earlobe, conjuring a groan from me.

I turned my head and moved my body fluidly against his and captured his lips.

We smiled into the kiss, Danny unwrapping his arms from my torso and lifted himself up, causing me to roll onto my back as he lowered on top of me, his leg resting in between mine. His fingers, rough from years of guitar playing, trailed expertly down my stomach, and over my hips.

"I thought you wanted to sleep?" I mumbled against his lips.

He mercilessly teased me by dragging his thumbs along my pelvic hip bone then trailing his hand up my sides. "I like this better." He said, his voice thick with desire as he latched onto my neck, nipping and sucking on the sensitive spot right behind my earlobe.

I bit my lip and dragged my nails up his back, lifting my hips to meet his.

We both stopped moving, shuddering as our bodies made full contact.

Danny picked his head up and stared at me with lust clouded eyes.

I swallowed, marveling at how easy it was for him to steal my breath away. Just as effortless as when he stole my heart the day we met.

We met each other half way in an intensely passionate kiss. Just then, a knock sounded on the door.

Danny broke the kiss and rolled off of me, onto his back with an exasperated sigh. "What?" He yelled, glaring at the ceiling.

The door opened and Giovanna looked in, her eyes widening when she saw the two of us in bed together, the blush deepening as her brown eyes glanced at our bare chests.

Tom's head popped over her shoulder, blonde hair sticking up in all directions and a goofy grin plastered on his face.

"Oh, good." Giovanna said, gripping the door knob tighter than she needed to. "You're up."

"In more ways than one." Tom added, wiggling his eyebrows and staring openly at Danny's lap, where the sheets lay tented over his fully grown erection, before getting a slap in the stomach from his embarrassed girlfriend.

I tried not to laugh as Danny pulled more sheets around his lap, trying to shield himself from his roommates. "What did you want?" He asked, the annoyance in his voice melting away.

She cleared her throat, trying to keep eye contact with us. "We were going to make pancakes." She said, her voice shaky and her cheeks a deep pink. "We wanted to see if you'd like any."

"Unless you've already had something to eat, that is."

"THOMAS MICHEAL FLETCHER!" She yelled, reaching to slap Tom again but he had already taken off into the living room, his hysterical laughter filling the flat.

Giovanna glared over her shoulder before turning back to us once more. "Just come when you're done. I mean when you're finished! NO!" She exclaimed, her face turning pink to red as her mouth opened and closed, fumbling for something to say. "Oh God! Come out when you're ready!" She said finally, shutting the door firmly behind her.

Danny and I laid there in silence, both of us trying our best not to laugh at Giovanna's departing, unintentional, sexual innuendo as she was heard scolding Tom for his earlier comments.

"If he doesn't marry her, I will." I said, breaking the silence.

Danny smiled and nodded in agreement. Silence fell again, the sexual moment lost in our enjoyment of hearing Tom being chastised by Giovanna. "Did you want to come look at some flats with me later?" He asked suddenly, rolling on to his side, propping his head up on his hand.

I glanced at him and smirked, despite my heart's sudden attack on my ribcage. "Asking me to move in already?" I tried to sound calm but I could feel the anxious quiver in my voice.

Danny didn't seem to pick up on my nerves and smiled. "I've been looking for a while actually. I know Tom wants to propose but he won't do it as long as I'm here so I figured, before Gi kills me in my sleep, I should get my own place." He shrugged, looking down at the space between us, his free hand itching to take hold of mine. "I realize that you just came back into my life and that it's far too soon to ask you to move in-" He said, his eyes still glued to the sheets in front of him. "but I'm hoping that, somewhere down the road, you would want to live with me so, why not let you have a say in where I live."

I smiled and reached out, gently lifting his chin until his eyes locked with mine and leaned in, kissing him softly. "I'd love to go flat shopping with you." I whispered against his lips.

He chuckled and kissed me again before sliding out of bed and shuffling over to the bathroom across the room. "I'm going to take a quick shower and take care of a few things." He said, glancing down at his crotch with a sly smile and then back at me. "You go and get some food. You're going to need your strength."

"I need strength to look at flats all day?"

"Oh, we'll be back from looking at places by the afternoon." He said, opening the bathroom door. "It's what I plan on doing with you once we're back here is where the strength comes in." He winked and then disappeared into the bathroom.


	35. Epilogue

_One year later…_

Once Danny had moved out (I had promptly moved in a short three weeks later), Tom wasted no time in popping the question to Giovanna. She had called me in the middle of the night to scream about how shiny her ring was and how he went about with the proposal while Danny sat beside me, on his own phone, trying to talk Tom out of making the wedding a cross between Glee and Star Wars with a dash of Disney thrown in.

Eventually -and with some enforcement from his fiancé- Tom handed the main planning over to Gi and simply signed his name to the check when money was needed. It was his goal to give her the wedding that she wanted, the one that she deserved, and he was sparing no expense.

Despite the grandeur of it all, it was a very intimate wedding with close friends and family in attendance. The two decided to wed in late August when the weather was still comfortably warm on a small, secluded beach that sat surrounded by high cliffs that shielded them from the public's prying eyes with the reception taking place in the hotel at the top of the cliffs. Giovanna wanted a simple ceremony with most of the budget going into the reception. The girl did know how to throw a party.

Danny and I stood as joint best men, beside our best friend, as he watched his bride walk down the aisle. I couldn't stop myself from smiling as two of my closest friends committed themselves to each other. Looking out into the crowd of friends and family, I noticed Harry sitting in the middle of the fifth row on Tom's side. He was smiling softly at Tom before leaning over to whisper something to the person beside him and my heart leapt when I saw that he was with Aaron.

Aaron's band had been in the middle of recording their second album. The success of their first number one album and sold out arena tour made his schedule jammed packed and to see that he made the time to attend meant a lot to all of us.

The two smile at each other and I show just how happy they looked, their hands clasped together between them. It didn't surprise me when Aaron first told me that he was seeing Harry. When Harry wanted something, he went for it with all he had. I warned him that Harry wasn't the 'settling down' type but after nearly a year, he had shown that he was loyal to the newly crowned 'Most Desired Man In Britain'.

It was amazing how much our lives seemed to intersect with each other from that day on. Danny worked with Aaron and Harry as their producer, I was always there to visit at the studio and Tom hosted the band's first ever meet and greet at his shop during their album release.

Things weren't a hundred percent forgotten, though, they never would be but we had all reached a common ground and the word 'friend' was no longer a forbidden word when he came to the drummer.

Fingers brushed over mine and I looked down to see Danny reaching behind him, lacing his fingers with mine. He didn't look back and kept his focus on the pair exchanging their vows in front of him.

"I think that was the nicest wedding I've ever been to." I said, walking hand in hand with Danny, our dress shoes held in our free hands as we walked barefoot down the beach. We had snuck out of the reception while everyone was too distracted with dancing, Danny wanting to take advantage of the beautiful scenery and the setting sun for a walk.

"I really was." He sighed, swinging our hands lightly between us, looking out over the ocean. "Though, leave it to Tom to be the one to cry during the vows."

I chuckled, closing my eyes as the cool beach breeze blew across my face. With Aaron's presence at the wedding, security was tight to stop any paparazzi or fans from crashing in so the beach was deserted, making it feel like Danny and I were the only two people in the world.

We strolled aimlessly for a while, making small talk about the wedding and what we were going to say once we got back, having to make our Best Man speeches before they cut the cake. Danny led me over to an abandoned lifeguard tower. "Come on." He said, letting go of my hand and climbing the ladder up to the benched area. "We can watch the sun set from here."

I climbed up after him and couldn't stop my laugh as he pulled me down beside him, his arms instantly wrapping around my shoulders and waist. Sighing contently, I laid my head on his shoulder and stared out at the setting sun, casting it's burning orange rays over the ocean that looked almost black without the sun's light above it.

My mind seemed to drift off into thoughts of how perfect the whole moment was. I was sitting on a deserted beach, watching the most beautiful sunset beside the most wonderful man I could ever have hoped to meet. How did I become so lucky?

When I thought back to all of things that Danny and I had gone through. Our first time together, the break up, the years apart and then the agonizingly long struggle for us to get back to each other. It all would make someone give up but something in me just couldn't let that Bolton boy go.

It was as if fate was saying that we needed to go through all the heartache and doubt and fights, the tears and worry, the discovery and admittance in order for us to realize that we were meant to be. That were was never going to anyone on the planet that would make us feel as whole as we did than when we were together.

I was drawn out of my thoughts as Danny began to fidget, his arm leaving my waist so that he could pick at a piece of the wood bench beside him. "What are you doing?" I asked, picking my head up a little so that I could try and see what he was up to.

"Look at this place." He said, looking over his shoulder and then down at his feet with a childish enthusiasm. "It's covered in carvings."

I looked around and saw that there was quite a bit of messages written out in the wooden bend and walls of the look out post.

'_Roger was here! '05'  
'Michael and Tiffany 4-eva!'_

'_For a good time, call Amber at-'_

Danny's arm withdrew from my shoulder and he lifted his hips up, digging through his pockets, his tongue sticking out the side of his mouth slightly in concentration as he search for something. "What are you doing now?"

He pulled out his car keys and held them up to me. "We can't leave without letting people know we were here, now can we?" He slid off the bench and crouched down and started etching the beginnings of a heart into the bench.

"You're the biggest dork that I know."

"And that's why you love me." He said in a sing song voice, falling silent as he worked on his masterpiece.

I rolled my eyes but smiled none the less. It was the reason why I loved him so much. His spontaneity and childish spirit never left me bored with the relationship and kept me wondering where the next day was going to lead us.

He always had some dream, plan or scheme in mind that he was always bursting at the seams to tell me about. All these trips and adventures he wanted to go on and sights he wanted to see. We would lay in bed for hours on Sunday mornings and just daydream about traveling the world. Together.

"Should I make this a 'P' or a 'J'?" He asked suddenly, breaking the silence between us.

"Hmm?" I asked, glancing down to see him looking at his carving questioningly.

"Should I make this a 'P' or a 'J'" He repeated, leaning back so I could see exactly what he meant.

I looked down to see that he had carved out a heart and in the center had written 'D.J + D.' and a line, as if he began to carve out the 'P' for Poynter.

I pouted slightly, my eyebrows creasing as I struggled to understand what he meant until I looked back at Danny and my breath caught in my throat.

Danny was kneeling there in front of me, on one knee, a small black box on his hand. "Dougie, I love you so much." He said, dropping his keys and taking my hand into his. "I knew that you were someone special the second you walked into that audition room all those years ago. I knew that you would forever change my life, for the better." He broke eye contact with me for only a moment, taking a deep breath and clearing his throat. I could feel his hand shaking in mine. "When everything happened with Harry, I felt like I had let you down because I should have fought for you but instead, I let you go and then you came back, like some miracle, you came back to me and I almost let you get away from me again. I want to make you a promise right here and now, that I will never let you go again.

You are the love of my life, Douglas Poynter. I can't imagine going to sleep at night with out you beside me and I don't want to wake up another morning without your face being the first thing I see. I want to spend the rest of my life making you happy and showing you how incredible you truly are.

I want to take you to all those places we dreamt about and make a lifetime of memories that we can laugh about when we're all old and wrinkly. I just want you, Dougie. You and only you." He let go of my hand and opened the box he was hold to reveal a stunning ring nestled in the velvet. It was a simple silver band, there was nothing special or extraordinary about it but it was absolutely perfect. "Will you marry me, Dougie?"

It wasn't until I felt something wet fall onto my hand that I realized I had been crying. There were so many emotions flowing through me all at once and it felt as if my heart was about the burst through my chest. My mouth had gone completely dry and all I could do was nod frantically as I struggled to get enough saliva back into my mouth to form the words. "Yes! Of course!" I choked out, finally.

Danny's face lit up like fireworks against a night sky. "Seriously?"

I found myself laughing hysterically even though I was already short of breath from forgetting to breath through half of Danny's speech. "Yes, you adorable fool!"

He sat back down on the bench and pulled me to him, kissing me lovingly. "We're engaged." He whispered, his voice sounding as if he didn't quite believe it himself.

"Not until you give me my ring." I whispered back, biting my lip to stop the girly giggle that was bubbling up in my throat as he removed the ring from the box and slid it gently onto my left ring finger. I held my hand out to admire the way the sliver glistened in the final rays of sunlight. "Now we're engaged." I declared.

The sun was barely visible on the horizon anymore, the pink hue of the sky was the only thing that remained of the day. In a couple of hours, the sun would return to start a new day. The start of my life with Danny. Together. Always together.

"I love you, Dougs." He said, wrapping his arms around my waist once more and pulling me close.

I kissed the tip of his nose and snuggled up to him, knowing that we would only have a few more precious moments before we had to return to the reception. "I love you too, Dan."

_**The end**_


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